THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


ENDOWED  BY  THE 

DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 

SOCIETIES 


S^'TY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL 


00019210845 


This  book  is  due  at  the  WALTER  R.  DAVIS  LIBRARY  on 
the  last  date  stamped  under  "Date  Due."  If  not  on  hold,  it  may 
be  renewed  by  bringing  it  to  the  library. 


DATE 
DUE 


RETURNED 


DATE 
DUE 


DEC  iJ"2-2flH 


OCT  1  !>  2011 


4r 


7  Zui* 


Form  No  513. 
Rev.  1/84 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hil 


http://archive.org/details/historyoflouisiaOOhick 


HISTORY 


'   -A  O 


OF 


Louisiana  Negro 
Baptists    8™    *' 


H  ^  From  1804  to  1914 


.  L  8- 


BY 


Wm.  hicks,  b.  a.,  d.  d., 

Author  of  "Bible  Thoughts,  With  Questions  and  Answers, 

and  "Things  Necessary  for  the  Preacher,  Deacon 

and   Layman   to   Know." 


With    a  Biographical    IntrodjHtjSenRT^ 


Bishop  W.  B.  Pury&S^ 


-v 


<r     > — <"\  *  \ 


NASHVILLE,    TEN 
NATIONAL  BAPTIST    PUBLISHING    BOAR 
B.  H.    BOYD     D.  D.        SECRETARY. 


A  '  S   ' 

the  librSby    aittJ^CAy^ 
**,       TWUMWBB!TYOF^5»«!SafiS> 


WM.   HICKS,  A.  B.,  D.  D. 


Preface. 


While  thinking  of  the  -welfare  of  our  Baptist  Zion 
throughout  the  state,  and  wondering  what  would  best 
serve  as  a  stimulus  to  encourage  our  brethren,  and  arouse 
our  churches  to  more  religious  activity,  it  occurred  to  me 
that  a  faithful  record  of  past  achievements  both  by  our 
pioneer  fathers  and  ourselves  would  give  much  impetus  to 
lagging  denominational  pride,  and  set  up  a  beacon  light 
to  guide  and  inspire  the  young  preacher  of  today.  To  this 
end  I  cheerfully  set  myself  to  the  task,  and  after  consult- 
ing God  and  writing  the  late  Bishop  A.  B.  Flood  (Presi- 
dent Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention);  Secretary  W. 
E.  Purvis,  Treasurer  T.  L.  Welch,  Sr.,  Vice  President  W. 
M.  Taylor,  Drs.  H.  C.  Cotton,  John  IVIarks,  Taylor  Frier- 
son,  J.  M.  Carter  and  others,  I  received  Divine  approval 
and  hearty  endorsement  by  the  above-mentioned  brethren, 
the  State  Executive  Board  and  the  Louisiana  State  Con- 
vention. This  volume  promises  to  set  forth  as  faithfully 
as  possible:  (a)  The  pioneer  work  of  our  fathers  extend- 
ing into  ante-bellum  times;  (b)  the  work  of  the  young 
ministers  and  teachers  to  the  present.  I  am  not  unmind- 
ful of  the  fact  that  this  is  a  Herculean  task  which  I  can 
not  finish  in  its  entirety,  hence  the  critic  must  be  asked 
to  be  reasonable,  remembering  that  it  is  "human  to  err." 
God  gives  us  the  rose  with  the  thorns:  we  must  learn  to 
enjoy  its  fragrance  without  being  torn  by  the  thorns. 
Roses  with  their  thorns  may  be  found  in  this  work,  but 
the  critic  must  be  charitable  and  fair  enough  to  accept 
them.     It  is  out  of  the  question  to  look  for  all    that  Louisi- 

(3) 


4  Preface 

ana  Baptists  have  said  and  done  since  1801.  It  would  re- 
quire too  many  scribes  to  write  their  doings,  and  too  large 
a  volume  to  contain  them.  Because  of  inability  to  obtain 
cuts  and  biographies  as  I  desire,  mention  of  many  excellent 
men  of  our  denomination  is  omitted.  I  could  not  tell 
everything,  nor  have  I  tried.  I  have  simply  humbly  en- 
deavored to  answer  the  questions  in  part  as  a  denomina- 
tion: From  whence  have  we  come?  What  have  we  done? 
To  what  have  we  attained?  What  are  the  possibilities 
before  us?  Being  aware  of  the  fact  that  we  are  denomi- 
nationally young,  a  voluminous  history  should  not  be  ex- 
pected. I  simply  pray  that  this  may  serve  as  a  nucleus 
of  Louisiana  Baptist  history.  Other  writers  more  able 
than  I  will  tell  the  Baptist  story  more  fully. 


-  Biographies. 


T.   A.  Walker,  A.   M.,   M.   D 74 

I.   J.   Washington,   M.   D - 77 

O.  L.  Coleman,  A.  M 137 

Elder  J.  A.   Carter 152 

Melvin  L.  Collins    81 

Thomas  Henry  Kane   83 

•George  W.   Green    . .    •  •  • 85 

-John    Milton    Smith    86 

Thomas  Lee  Welch,   M.   D 87 

Miss   Elizabeth    Norrington    88 

7.  C.  Chaptman,  M.  D.,  LL.  B 90 

H.    P.    Player    - 92 

Madison  James  Foster,  A.  B 94 

N.    H.    C.    Henderson,    M.    D 89 

William   McDonald    

Elder  J.  H.  Flemings    96 

Wilder  H.  C.  Cotton,  D.  D  ••- 97 

Elder  George  W.  Walker    100 

Elder  T.  L.  Welch   •  •  - 103 

Bishop   L.    C.    Simon 104 

Bishop  D.   M.   Brown    105 

Uishop  R.  A.  Mayneld    » 107 

Elder    Auder    Back    Flood    112 

Bishop  W.  B.   Purvis 114 

Bishop   P.   B.   Lewis    109 

Elder  J.  J.   Fuller    Ill 

Bishop  W.    M.    Taylor    116 

Elder    Bryant    Wright    118 

(5) 


Biographies 


Elder  A.   H.   Samuels    120 

Elder  F.  J.  Davidson,  A.  M.,  D.  D 121 

Elder  S.  T.  Clanton,  A.  M.,  D.  D 123 

Bishop  W.  W.  Hill   125 

Bishop   C.  'S.   Collins,   B.   A.,   M.   D 126 

Elder  Caroliner  Fuller    128 

Bishop  Albert  Henry    129 

Elder    Lorenzo    Smith    130 

Elder   Allen    Stevenson    133 

Elder  James  Roberson    131 

Elder   Luke   Allen,    Sr •.'... 133 

Elder  J.  M.  Carter   152 

Bishop  J.  H.  Henderson   153 

Elder  A.  F.  Owens,  D.  D '. 136 

J.   W.   Wiley,    M.    D 138 

Elder  J.  L.  Burrell,  D.  D 140 

Eishop  C.  W.  Brooks,  B.  A 141 

Ira   Henderson    

Elder  C.  L.  Roberts,  D.  D 143 

Emmett   L.    Washburn,    B.    A 144 

Elder  H.  B.  N.  Brown,  D.  D 147 

Elder  Armstead   Mason  Newman,  D.  D 145 

Elder   A.    S.   Jackson,    D.    D 14S 

Elder   John    Marks,    D.    D 149 

Elder  C.  L.  Fisher,  A.  M.,  D.  D 

Professor  R.  E.  Jacobs 79 

Elder  S.  D.  Nance  167 

John  Jones    .  < 150 

I.   A.    Carter    155 


Introduction. 


It  is  indeed  a  source  of  pleasure  to  introduce  the  writer 
of  this  history.  The  highest  aim  of  the  author,  who  will 
be  blessed,  honored  and  revered  more  by  future  historians, 
orators  and  statesmen  than  the  present,  is  to  so  portray 
the  life  history  of  men  who  have  risen  out  of  the  very 
depths  of  poverty  and  obscurity  to  places  of  honor  and 
trust  of  men  of  science,  arts  and  letters  that  the  young 
of  all  generations,  climes,  peoples  and  tongues  wliile  read- 
ing and  studying  shall  catch  inspiration  tnat  will  make 
the  great  of  mankind  the  greatest,  and  the  lowly  of  man- 
kind the  better.  The  writer  of  this  history  was  born  in 
Shreveport,  La.,  April  9th,  1869,  of  Square  and  Jane  Hicks. 
When  but  a  child  he  showed  signs  of  marked  intelligence. 
He  attended  the  schools  of  his  home  city,  and  being  seized 
by  a  desire  for  higher  education  he  left  his  home  and  went 
to  New  Orleans,  La.,  in  1887,  where  he  entered  Leland 
University.  Here  he  distinguished  himself  as  a  hard  stu- 
dent, and  graduated  from  this  University  with  high 
honors,  graduating  the  first  time  May  9th,  1333,  receiving 
the  Normal  and  College  Preparatory  diplomas  arter  the 
delivery  of  one  oration.  After  finishing  these  two  courses 
and  studying  on  through  the  freshman  to  me  sophomore 
year,  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  Thirteenth  District  Academy 
at  Shreveport.  Here  he  wrought  successfully  and  well 
seven  consecutive  years,  when  he  felt  so  keenly  his  need 
for  more  thorough  preparation  that  he  returned  to  Leland, 
resumed  his  studies  and  graduated  from  the  B.  A.  degree 
course  in  1902.     After  pushing  the  work  or  me  Shreveport 

(7) 


Introduction 


school  on  another  year,  and  after  carrying  tne  school  from. 
a    very    small    enrollment    to    a    maximum    enrollment    of' 
nearly  300,  and  from  an  old  one-story  frame  building  with 
many   leaks  therein   to   a  §3,000  two  story  frame  building- 
uicely    painted  and   reasonably  well  equipped,   he  accepted, 
a  call  to  the  Deanship  of  the  Theological  Department  of 
Coleman  College,  Gibsland,  La.     Here  he  realized  his  need 
for   more   Biblical    knowledge,   and   again   returned  to   his. 
Alma    Mater,    graduating    the    third    time.    This    time    he 
won  the  B.  D.  degree.     After  making  good  here  at  Gibsland 
as   a   theologian   and   pastor   of  ability,   he  was   called   to- 
Atlanta,  Texas,  and  Junction  City,  Ark.  Locating  in  Texas 
he  pastored  a  two-Sunday  church  in  each  srate  until  he- 
was  called  back  to  his  home  city  by  the  Trinity  Baptist. 
Church.     When  he  had  succeeded  two  years  pnenominally 
at  Trinity,   he   was  called  to   Meridian,   Miss.,  by  the  El- 
Eethel   Baptist   Church.     Finishing     his   well-done     labors 
here,  he  moved  to  Uniontown,  Aia.,    and    took   charge  of   the- 
First  Baptist  Church   of  that  place  at  the  urgent  request 
of  the  members  of  said     church.     Selma     University,     at 
Selma,   Ala.,   recognizing  the   accomplished   work,  and   the 
.  intellectual   ability  of   Bishop   Hicks,   conferred   upon   him 
the    D.    D.    degree    May.    1913. 

Dr.  Hicks  married  Miss  Olivia  Josephine  Madison,  a 
graduate  of  Leland  University,  December  27th,  1897.  Their- 
union  has  been  blessed  with  nine  children  and  a  model 
home.  Elder  Hicks  is  one  of  the  most  scholarly  of  our 
brethren,  and  i3  rapidly  gaining  renown,  having  been  se- 
lected by  the  National  Baptist  Publishing  Board  to  write- 
articles  for  the  National  Baptist  Sundav-School  Teacher,, 
to  write  monthly  for  the  National  Baptist  Union-Review, 
and  to  a  Bible  Teachership  in  the  National  Baptist  Sun- 
day-School Congress,  which  represents  about  14,000  Sun- 
day-schools. Editorial  Secretary  W.  S.  Ellington,  speak- 
ing of  the  writer  of  this  history,  says:  "Rev.  Win.  Hicks 
is  a  conscientious  Christian  gentleman  in  whom  there  is 
no   guile.     He  loves  his   Bible  and   is  an  exeperienced  ex- 


Introduction 


pounder  of  its  truths.  The  Sunday-School  Congress  is  to 
be  congratulated  for  obtaining  the  services  of  so  compe- 
tent a  man." 

His  services  have  been  secured  by  Dr.  Booker  T.  Wash- 
ington to  lecture  to  the  students  of  the  Phelps  Bible 
Training  School  at  Tuskegee.  Dr.  Hicks  was  ordained  at 
tbe  Evergreen  Baptist  Church,  Shreveport,  April  28th, 
1899,  by  the  following  brethren:  Bishops  I.  A.  Carter,  J. 
M.  Carter,  L.  W.  Canfield.  Robert  Taylor,  C.  S.  Shelton, 
H.  R.  Flynn  and  A.  T.  Sumpter.  In  disposition  Dr.  Hicks 
is  as  meek  as  a  child.  In  dress  he  is  not  extravagant. 
His  face  wears  the  expression  of  thoughtfulness.  His  will 
is  iron  and  his  nerves  steel,  yet  meek  and  mild  in  deport- 
ment. As  a  professor  he  is  deep  and  tnougntfui;  as  a 
preacher  he  is  known.  His  arguments  are  convincing  and 
conclusive,  being  a  ready  speaker,  a  clear  scliolar,  an  ac- 
curate thinker,  he  is  always  in  demand.  When  I  contem- 
plate the  life  of  such  a  man,  it  makes  me  feel  tliat  God 
has  created  no  man  for  naught  but  ratner  tnat  He  has 
put  into  the  reach  of  every  man  vast  possibilities  which 
only  need  be  turned  into  right  channels  at  tne  right 
time. 

"Pluck  bright  honor  from  the  pale-faced  moon, 

Or  dive  into  the  bottom  of  the  deep, 
Where  fathom-line  could  never  touch  the  ground, 

And  pluck  up  drowned  honor  by  the  locks." 
Such  is  the  character  of  the  writer  of  this  history,  loved 
and  admired  by  all  who  know  him. 

W.  B.  PURVIS,  Pleasant  Hill,  La. 


Letters  of  Encouragement  and  Endorse- 
ment. 


Pelican,  La.,  May  1,  1909. 
Rev.    Win.    Hicks,    E'.    D.,    Shreveport,   La.: 

Dear  Brother — In  reply  to  your  communication,  we  take 
pleasure  in  saying  that  we  approve  of  the  task  (of  writing 
the  History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists),  which  you  are  un- 
dertaking, and  any  help  we  can  give  you  in  the  waj  of 
data,    etc.,    we   shall    gladly    do    so. 

Done  by  order  of  Louisiana     Baptist     State     Executive 
Board   in   session  at   Cpelousa-s,   La.,   May  otft,   1909. 
REV.   A.  E.  FLOOD,  President. 
W.   B.   PURVIS,   Corresponding  Secretary. 
*   *   * 
Delhi,   La.,   December   24,   1909. 
Rev.    Win.    Hicks,    D.    D.,    Shreveport,    La.: 

Dear  Brother  in  the  Lord,  your  very  timeiy  message  by 
mail  has  been  received  and  read  carefully.  In  response  I 
must  say  that  your  idea  meets  my  hearty  approval.  Louisi- 
ana Baptists  deserve  a  history  of  their  worlc.  The  old 
leaders,  made  history  but  were  unable  to  put  It  in  print. 
So  I  think  it  is  the  work  of  you  young  men  to  put  it  in 
print.  I  shall  do  what  I  can  to  help  you.  I  shall  let  you 
have  my  cut  and  sketch  of  my  life  as  early  as  possible. 
With  love  and  best  wishes  to  yourself  and  family,  wishing 
you  a  Merry  Christmas  and  Happy  New  Year,  I  am, 

Yours  in  Christ, 
A.    B.    FLOOD, 
President  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention. 
(10) 


Letters  11 

Belle  Alliance,  La.,  January  20,  1909. 
Rev.   Wm.   Hicks,   Shreveport,   La.: 

Dear  Brother — Your  letter  bearing  date  of  the  twelfth 
instant  is  received  and  has  been  read  wlm  a  deal  of  satis- 
faction. The  work  you  are  about  to  undertake  is  beyond 
doubt  a  much-needed  one,  and  is  worthy  or  the  man  un- 
dertaking it.  I  am  sure  you  will  find  a  rich  field  of  in- 
teresting material  from  which  to  make  up  your  forthcom- 
ing volume.  There  is  no  doubt  that  your  book  will  be 
hailed  with  great  delight  by  the  progressive  Baptists  all 
over  the  state,  and  will  find  a  ready  market.  I  hope  that 
you  will  be  granted  abundant  life  and  health  to  complete 

the  arduous  task It  is  a  much-needed  work,  and 

it  appears  that  you  are  the  man  for  it.  The  brethren 
will  appreciate  its  worth.  It  will  accomplish  a  wonderful 
amount  of  good  in  stimulating  and  putting  new  life  in  the 
brotherhood  of  the  state.  It  will  be  a  source  of  informa- 
tion revealing  facts  that  cannot  be  found  from  any  other 
source.  I  hope  that  you  will  continue  the  work  to  an  hon- 
orable and   successful  conclusion. 

Yours  in  Christian  service, 

H.  C.  COTTON. 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Elder  A.  E'.  Flood. 

Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention  Leaders  in  1879. 
Elder  J.   M.   Carter. 
Elder    J.    M.    Carter's    Home. 
Elder  L.    Allen.    Sr. 
J.   W.   Wiley,    M.   D. 
Miss   Elizabeth    Norrington. 
Theological    Class,   Leland   University. 
Bishop   W.   W.    Hill. 
Mrs.  L.   D.   Pruitt. 
Elder   J.    A.    Carter. 
City    Ministers'    Union,    New    Orleans. 
Evergreen   Baptist    Church. 

Louisiana   Baptist    State   Convention   Leaders,    1914. 
Elder  F.  J.  Davidson,  A.  M.,  D.  D. 
Proposed    Theological    Department,    Coleman    College. 
Elder  A.  H.  Samuels. 

Administration   and   Dining  Departments,   Coleman   Col- 
lege. 

Elder  L.   Ford. 

Reynold's  Hall,   Girls'  Dormitory,   Coleman   College. 

Bishop    John    Harris    Henderson,    B.    D. 

Main   Building,    Coleman    College. 

Elder  Jackson  J.  Fuller. 

Boys'   Dormitory,    Coleman   College. 

Dr.   H.   C.    Cotton. 

Bishop  E.  S.  Stills. 

Elder  George  W.  Walker. 

(13) 


1  i  Illustrations 


Galilee    Baptist    Church,    Shreveport,    La. 

Bishop    William    Hicks,    B.    A.,    D.    D. 

Sabine   Normal  and   Industrial  Institute. 

Chamberlain    Hall,    Leland    University. 

Faculty   of    Sabine   N.    &   I.    Institute. 

Leland  Hall,  Leland  University. 

Industrial  Hall,  Sabine  N.  &  I.  Institute. 

Bishop  P.  B.  Lewis. 

Elder  H.   E.   N.   Brown,   B.   D.     • 

Elder  C.  L.  Fisher,  D.  D. 

Elder   C.   L.   Roberts,   D.   D. 

Prof.    R    E.   Jacobs. 

Bishop    C.   W.    Brooks,    B.   A. 

Elder  J.  L.  Burrell,  D.  D. 

John  Milton  Smith,  Sr. 


To  the  Negro  Baptist  Pioneer  Preachers  of  Louisiana 
(many  of  whom  having  preached  the  Gospel  in  log  cabins 
with  dirt  floors,  thereby  laying  the  foundation  upon 
which  our  brick  and  stone  church  houses  of  today 
STAND)  is  this  volume  with  our  abiding  gratitude  dedi- 
cated. 

The   Author. 


Contents. 


Page 

Preface   3 

Introduction    7 

Letters  of  Endorsement   10 

General   History    17 

Pioneer  Work  in   and   Around   New   Orleans   Before 

and  After  the  War   21 

Organization  of  First  Louisiana  Baptist  Asociation 29 

First  Free   Missionary  Association    '. 29 

First   District   Missionary    Baptist   Association 30 

Second   District   Missionary   Baptist  Association    39 

Third   District   Missionary    Baptist   Association    40 

Fourth  District  Missionary  Baptist  Association 41 

Fifth  District  Missionary  Baptist  Association 42 

Sixth  District  Missionary  Baptist  Association    44 

Seventh  District  Missionary  Eaptist  Association   45 

Second  Eighth  District  Missionary  Baptist  Association.  4G 

Tenth   District    Missionary    Baptist  Association    47 

Twelfth   District   Missionary   Baptist  Association    48 

Thirteenth  District  Missionary  Baptist  Association   52 

Northwest  Louisiana   Baptist  Association  No.   1 56 

Springville   Missionary  and  Educational   Association...   65 

Liberty  Hill  Missionary  Baptist  Association   58 

Gum  Spring  Missionary  Baptist  Association    59 

Friendship  Missionary  and  Educational  Association   73 

Calvary  Missionary  Baptist  Association    61 

Union  Mt.  Olive  Missionary  Baptist  Association    64 

Louisiana   Freedmen  Missionary  Baptist  Association   . .   67 

New   Hope    Missionary    Baptist   Association    63 

The  Woman's  Baptist  State  Convention   71 

Northwest  No.   2.   Missionary  Baptist  Association    62 

Louisiana  Eaptist  State  Sunday-School  Convention   68 

New  Beulah   Missionary   Baptist  Association  No.   4.... 

Louisiana   Baptist   State   Convention    

Biographies - 74 

A  SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER. 

Negro    Baptist   Beginnings    in   America 2AI 

(16) 


GENERAL  HISTORY. 


As  to  the  general  history  of  Negro  Baptists  of 
Louisiana,  according  to  Dr.  W.  E.  Paxton,  author 
of  the  history  of  white  Louisiana  Baptists,  we 
must  go  back  to  1804  and  come  forward.  When 
more  than  half  of  our  state  was  a  wilderness,  and 
there  were  only  a  few  French  settlements  in  the 
southern  part  on  the  Mississippi  River,  Bayou 
Teche,  the  prairies  of  the  Opetousas,  and  the  fer- 
tile bayou  that  threads  the  valleys  of  the  Lower 
Red  River,  "there  came  into  the  state  a  Negro 
Baptist  preacher,  Bishop  Joseph  Willis,  of  Mis- 
sissippi, but  probably  a  native  of  South  Carolina. 
This  was  in  1804,  the  next  year  after  the  Louisi- 
ana Purchase.  Louisiana  was  in  her  infancy  and 
not  a  single  Protestant  or  Baptist  Church  within 
its  bounds.  The  first  Baptist  doctrine  in  Louisiana 
was  preached  by  this  pioneer  in  November,  1804, 
at  Vermillion,  about  40  miles  southwest  of  Baton 
Rouge  in  a  day  meeting.  At  night  he  preached 
at  Plaquemine  Brule.  This  preaching  was  done 
at  the  peril  of  his  life,  since  he  was  both  a  Negro 
and  a  Baptist.  At  this  time  he  was  on  a  visit, 
and  had  not  permanently  settled.  His  labors, 
however,  were  successful,  turning  many  from  the 
error  of  their  way.  These  converts  were  the  first 
in  Louisiana  to  begin  marching  under  the  flag 
bearing  the  triple  declaration — "One  Lord,  one 
Faith  and  one  Baptism." 

(17) 


18      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Not  being  ordained  he  was  unable  to  baptize 
his  converts  and  organize  the  First  Baptist 
Church  of  Louisiana  at  this  time.  After  urging 
them,  perhaps,  to  be  strong  and  steadfast  in  the 
faith,  he  returned  to  Mississippi  for  ordination, 
and  for  other  brethren  to  help  him  organize  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  the  state.  But  to  his 
surprise  on  reaching  the  church  of  his  member- 
ship he  found  it  pastorless,  and  the  church,  there- 
fore, felt  that  it  could  not  arrange  and  grant  his 
request,  although  they  desired  to  do  so.  They 
advised  him  to  take  his  letter  and  unite  with  a 
church  that  had  a  pastor.  This  he  did,  but  the 
church  refused  to  ordain  him,  claiming  that  the 
Church  of  Christ  might  suffer  reproach  owing  to 
the  humble  social  condition  of  this  Negro 
preacher.  This  was  a  heavy  blow  to  the  "Apos- 
tle of  the  Opelousas,"  as  he  was  called,  but  he 
did  not  give  up  on  account  of  unwavering  faith 
in  God,  and  the  large  amount  of  iron  in  his  blood. 
How  could  he  give  up  when  he  was  under  march- 
ing orders  and  had  been  told  to  go  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  Gospel?  Some  prudent 
white  friend  advised  Brother  Willis  to  get  a  rec- 
ommendation from  the  people  among  whom  he 
had  labored,  and  present  it  to  the  next  meeting 
of  the  Mississippi  Association.  This  he  did  in 
1811,  and  the  Association  appointed  two  minis- 
ters, Bishops  Thomas  Mercer  and  David  Cooper, 
to  visit  Brother  Willis  and  his  work  in  Louisiana. 
These  two  brethren  were  providentially  hindered 
and  failed  to  go.  This  Pioneer  Preacher  still 
stood  undaunted,  like  Job,  waiting  for  his  change 
to  come.  His  petition  came  before  the  Associa- 
tion the  next  year  (1812),  and  two  other  white 
brethren  were  appointed  to  go  and  examine  the 
colored  brother's  work,  Elders  Moses  Hadly  and 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      19 

Laurence  Scarborough.  Meanwhile  Brother  Wil- 
lis had  returned  to  his  field  of  labor  only  to  find 
those  who  had  come  to  Christ  through  his  preach- 
ing deceived  and  led  off"  by  a  Methodist  preacher, 
who  had  entered  the  field  of  Brother  Willis  and 
formed  the  converts  into  a  society  of  methods  at 
Plaquemine.  Yet  this  Baptist  hero  was  not  dis- 
couraged, because  he  had  preached  the  first  New 
Testament  doctrine,  and  made  the  first  disciples 
in  the  state  of  Louisiana.  By  the  time  Elders 
Hadly  and  Scarborough  arrived  he  had  indoctri- 
nated others,  planted  the  Baptist  flag,  and  was 
standing  ready  for  ordination  and  organization. 
When  they  reached  Bayou  Chicot,  in  St.  Landry 
Parish,  one  of  the  places  where  Brother  Willis 
preached,  there  were  five  brothers  and  one  sister 
whom  they  formed  into  a  church,  called  Calvary, 
iNovember  13th,  1812,  thus  organizing  the  first 
church  in  the  state.  These  elders  were  also  re- 
quested to  ordain  Brother  Willis  for  their  pastor. 
The  request  was  granted  and  the  Lord  blessed 
their  labors  by  adding  nine  to  the  membership 
the  following  year.  The  work  of  these  elders 
was  approved  at  the  next  session  (1813)  of  the 
Mississippi  Association.  Dr.  W.  E.  Paxton, 
author  of  Louisiana  Baptist  History  (white), 
and  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  above  informa- 
tion, says  concerning  this  pioneer:  "The  zeal  of 
Father  Willis,  as  he  was  called  by  the  affection- 
ate people  among  whom  he  labored,  could  not  be 
bounded  by  the  narrow  limits  of  his  own  home, 
but  he  traveled  far  and  wide.  He  extended  his 
labors  to  Cheyneyville  on  Bayou  Boeuff  in  the 
Paris'h  of  Rapides,  some  fifty  or  sixty  miles 
higher  up  the  country  where  many  of  his  Mis- 
sissippi acquaintances  had  settled,  and  among 
whom  were  some  of  the  Bayou  Chicot  members. 


20       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

The  history  of  Louisiana  Baptists  could  not  be 
written  without  mention  of  this  brother  (Joseph 
Willis) ,  whose  name  occurs  so  often  in  connection 
with  the  oldest  churches  in  the  Louisiana  Asso- 
ciation." He  was  born  in  1762  and  died  at  Ten 
Mile  Creek  in  Rapides  Parish,  September  14, 
1854.     7  Z,  "J .-a-  o!A 

Another  pioneer  Baptist  preacher  of  these 
times  was  Bishop  D.  H.  Willis,  grandson  of  Elder 
Joseph  Willis.  He  was  born  on  Bayou  Boeuff  in 
Rapides  Parish,  December  28th,  1817.  At  the 
age  of  11  he  was  carried  by  his  father  to  their 
new  home  on  Calcasieu  River  in  St.  Landry 
Parish,  a  wilderness  country,  eight  miles  from 
the  nearest  white  settlement.  He  stayed  here 
nine  years,  attended  school  five  months,  and  when 
17  years  old  went  to  an  Academy  twenty  miles 
from  home,  remaining  only  one  month.  Being 
blessed  with  his  grandfather's  push  and  pluck,  he 
studied  at  every  opportunity  by  the  flickering 
light  of  pine  knots  and  in  this  way  prepared  him- 
self for  the  task  of  continuing  the  pioneer  work 
so  nobly  begun  by  his  grandfather  in  1804.  He 
married  March  15,  1838,  and  in  1840  was  con- 
verted and  baptized  into  the  membership  of  Oc- 
cupy Baptist  Church,  which  was*then  a  member 
cf  the  Louisiana  Association.  In  1847  ne 
preached  his  first  sermon,  and  in  1849,  on  Spring 
Creek  Rapides  Parish  at  the  home  of  Elder  Wil- 
lis he  was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry  by 
Bishops  Joseph  Willis,  B.  C.  Roberts  and  John 
O'Quin.  This  young  Baptist  elder  continued  to 
grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  God  un- 
til he  became  a  beacon  light  in  those  dark  times. 
Notwithstanding  he  afterwards  lost  his  sight, 
yet,  Moses  like,  he  pressed  forward     along    the 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      21 

rugged  road  of  those  perilous  times,  crying  aloud, 
".Repent,  believe  and  be  baptized." 

This  period  of  our  General  History  extends 
from  1304  to  the  Civil  War.,.  Elder  Willis  and 
his  grandson  were  the  only  Negro  Baptist 
preachers  of  prominence  during  the  first  part  of 
this  period.  During  the  latter  part  the  Baptist 
work  was  carried  on  by  white  preachers  who  gen- 
erally preached  a  sermon  in  the  forenoon  to  white 
people  and  in  the  afternoon  to  the  colored  people? ■ 
However,  a  Negro  Baptist  ministers  would  rise 
up  occasionally  among  the  slaves,  and  preach  to 
them  despite  high  water  and  patroles.  And,  too, 
there  were  a  few  free-born  Negro  Baptist  clergy- 
men in  some  parts  of  the  state,  especially  in  the 
towns  and  cities,  who  were  sometimes  permitted 
by  the  slave  master  to  preach  to  the  slaves. 

Bishop  Henry  Adams  was  the  most  noted  of 
this  class  of  preachers.  He  labored  as  far  hack 
as  1837  with  marked  success.  He  was  a  man  of 
education  and  ability.  After  leaving  Louisiana 
he  continued  his  labors  as  pastor  of  the  First 
Colored  Baptist  Church,  Louisville,  Ky.,  where 
after  accomplishing  much  for  the  Master,  during 
twenty-five  years  of  pioneer  life,  he  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus.  Further  mention  of  the  early  work  of 
Negro  Baptists  is  not  necessary  here,  since  their 
work  before  and  after  the  war,  especially  in 
New  Orleans,  will  be  taken  up  in  the  following 
chapter. 


PIONEER    WORK    IN  AND    AROUND    NEW 

ORLEANS  BEFORE  AND  AFTER  THE 

WAR. 

(  Because  the    birth    of    our    organic  denomina- 
tional life  is  so  closely  connected  with  that  of  the 


22       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

white  Baptists  of  the  state,  and  especially  those 
of  New  Orleans,  we  must  know  their  beginnings 
if  we  would  intelligently  know  our  own.  The 
first  effort  made  by  the  white  Baptists  to  establish 
a  church  was  in  1817.  In  that  year  the  Board 
of  the  Triennial  Baptist  Convention  sent  out  as 
missionary,  Elder  Jas.  A.  Randolson,  who 
preached  and  taught  in  the  "Long  Room"  which 
belonged  to  a  Mr.  C.  Paulding  on  Dorseive  street, 
near  Canal.  In  this  room  Bishop  Ranaldson  or- 
ganized the  first  white  Baptist  church  in  the  city 
of  New  Orleans,  which  was  admitted  into  the 
Mississippi  Association.  Dr.  Paxton  says  in  his 
history  this  church  prospered  under  the  pas- 
torate of  Elder  Benj.  Davis,  of  Natchez,  Miss., 
who  succeeded  Bishop  Ranaldson.  The  member- 
ship soon  reached  forty-eight — sixteen  white  and 
thirty-two  colored.  These  thirty-two  Negro  Bap- 
tists were  perhaps  the  first  to  hold  membership 
in  an  association  except  those  who  were  won  to 
Christ  by  "Father  Willis,"  and  with  all  proba- 
bility they  were  the  first  Negro  Baptists  of  New 
Orleans.  In  1820  Bishop  Davis  left  this  church, 
and  it  disbanded  soon  after.  Following  the  das- 
solution  of  this  church,  Elder  Wm.  B.  Johnson, 
of  South  Carolina,  came  to  New  Orleans  and 
preached  in  this  "Long  Room."  From  this  time 
until  1826  Baptist  preaching  was  only  occasion- 
ally heard.  Frequent  preaching  was  resumed 
when  Elder  Wm.  Bondeau  arrived  from  England 
in  1826,  formed  a  new  organization  and  preached 
about  one  year,  first  in  the  "Long  Room,"  and 
then  in  a  school  house  in  Paulding's  Row  on  St. 
Charles  street,  and  then  in  a  brick  building,  cor- 
ner of  Poydras  and  Tchoupitoulas  streets.  Mr. 
W.  C.  Duncans  says  Bishop  Bondeau  afterwards 
went  north  and  settled  in  Kentucky.     His  church 


ELDER  I.  A.   CARTER. 


24      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

at  one  time  had  about  twenty  members,  but  by 
the  close  of  the  year  1828  it  was  dissolved  and 
scattered.  Now  we  are  nearing  the  organization 
of  the  first  Negro  Baptists  in  New  Orleans.  Dr. 
Paxton's  History  says:  "There  was  also  at  this 
time  (1827)  an  African  church  of  about  twenty 
members.  They  had  a  colored  minister  named 
Asa  Goldsbery,  who  just  before  had  been  bound 
over  by  authority  of  the  city,  or  otherwise  to  be 
silent  six  months  under  penalty  of  a  law  against 
colored  preachers.  Of  this  body  J.  L.  Furmah, 
an  intelligent  member  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  (white)  and  editor  of  the  New  Orleans 
Baptist  Messenger,  says:  "As  we  have  been  in- 
formed by  the  late  Brother  Lewis  Banks,  an  aged 
colored  Baptist  from  Virginia,  who  resided  here 
many  years,  and  who  died  here  last  January 
(1876)  and  as  appears  also  from  a  book  of 
minutes  in  his  possession,  the  first  colored  Bap- 
tist church  of  this  city  was  organized  on  the  31st 
of  October,  1826,  under  the  name  of  the  First 
African  Church  of  New  Orleans."  This  was 
done  in  a  school  on  Burgundy  street,  by  a  Pres- 
bytery consisting  of  the  already  mentioned  Wm. 
Rondeau  and  Elder  Elisha  Andrews.  Asa  C. 
Goldsbery  was  elected  by  the  church  and  ordained 
pastor  and  Moses  Jackson  deacon.  The  church 
flourished  for  a  time.  Additions  were  made  from 
time  to  time  until  the  membership  numbered  41 
males  and  46  females. 

After  a  few  years,  Mr.  Goldbery  died  and  the 
church  declined.  About  1834  several  other  col- 
ored Baptists  came  from  Virginia  and  else- 
where, among  whom  were  Brethren  N.  D.  San- 
ders, Richard  Satterfield,  John  Edmonds,  Lewis 
Banks  and  Nathaniel  Short.  The  church  became 
somewhat  revived,  worship  was  maintained  and 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      25 

new  life  was  apparent.  Brethren  Sanders  and 
Satterfield  were  licensed  as  ministers  and  labored 
with  much  success.  (In  1837  Elder  Peter  W. 
Robert,  aided  by  some  transient  preacher,  recon- 
stituted this  First  African  Church,  and  ordained 
Brothers  Sanders  and  Satterfield  to  the  gospel 
ministry.  Bishop  Sanders  became  pastor.  The 
church  purchased  property  and  began  to  build 
on  the  corner  of  Howard  and  Cypress  street  in 
1842.  Under  Elder  Sanders  the  "Old  Church^ 
grew  and  became  the  acknowledged  mother  of 
New  Orleans  Negro  Baptists.  However,  during 
the  time  Elder  L.  Fletcher  pastored  the  white 
Baptist  church  (1850),  the  Negro  members  of 
his  church  were  organized  into  a  church  under 
the  care  of  the  white  brethren.  This  Second 
Colored  Baptist  Church  numbered  sixty-two 
members  and  was  received  into  the  Mississippi 
River  Association  (white),  in  1859  under  the 
fostering  care  of  the  Coliseum  Baptist  Church 
(white).  This  is  the  same  church  that  Bishop 
Jackson  Acox  now  pastors  (1914),  called  the 
Fourth  Baptist  Church.  This  body  owes  its  be- 
ginning to  the  new  interest  started  by  Elder  R. 
H.  Steptoe  in  1857.  Dr.  Paxton,  speaking  of  the 
work  of  these  churches,  said:  "The  First  and 
Fourth  African  Churches  had  greatly  prospered. 
They  had  baptized  into  their  membership  about 
3,000.  They  had  established  a  number  of 
branches  in  the  city,  and  extended  their  labors 
along  the  Mississippi  above  and  below  New 
Orleans.  With  their  branches  they  now  number 
7,000." 

It  will  be  also  of  interest  to  those  who  scan 
these  pages  to  read  what  Dr.  John  Marks,  pastor 
Sixth  Baptist  Church,  has  to  say  concerning  Bap- 
tist progress  from  1867  to  1902".     He  speaks  as 


26       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

follows :  "In  order  that  I  may  have  a  foundation 
to  build  upon,  I  will  have  to  go  back  to  1833  when 
the  Rev.  Nelson  D.  Sanders,  a  Negro  Baptist 
minister,  was  sold  in  Virginia  and  brought  to 
New  Orleans  in  chains  by  Negro  slave  traders. 
He  was  sold  to  a  good  master  who  allowed  him 
to  hire  his  time,  and  afterward  bought  himself. 
He  gathered  together  32  slaves  in  a  little  house 
in  Gentilly  Road.  Under  the  leadership  of  Rev. 
Sanders,  assisted  by  Revs.  Satterfield,  Hollands, 
Esau  Carter,  Robert  Steptoe.  Joseph  Davenport, 
Henry  White  and  others.  The  First  Colored 
Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  1833.  They 
held  services  on  Gentilly  Road  until  1844.  As 
it  was  against  the  law  for  colored  people  to  hold 
public  meetings,  their  meetings  were,  often  brok- 
en up,  and  their  leaders  were  often  arrested  by 
the  police  officers  and  carried  to  jail  and  punished 
to  the  full  extent  of  the  law  that  was  then  on  the 
statute  books  against  slaves  holding  meetings. 
Sometime  all  in  the  meeting  house  were  arrested 
and  carried  to  jail — both  men  and  women.  They 
finally,  through  the  kindness  of  some  of  the  whites 
who  owned  slaves,  obtained  permission  from  the 
city  authorities  to  allow  the  colored  people  to 
hold  meetings  two  hours  on  Sundays  from  3  to 
5  p.  m.,  under  the  watch  of  a  police  officer  who 
was  to  be  paid  $2  per  hour.  The  officer  was  in- 
structed not  to  let  the  meeting  continue  one 
minute  over  two  hours.  If  they  should  violate 
that  order  all  who  were  present  would  be  arrested 
and  punished.  The  city  authorities  and  police 
officers  were  not  favorably  disposed  to  Baptist 
doctrine,  and  as  the  law  was  against  colored  peo- 
ple assembling  in  any  meeting^they  enforced  the 
law  to  the  letter.  Under  these  oppressions  and 
persecutions  the  Baptists  "contended     earnestly 


Negro  Baptist  Bfiginnings  in  America.      27 

for  the  faith  once  for  all  delivered  to  the  saints." 
The  fire  of  truth  was  kindled  and  could  not  be 
quenched.  In  1844  they  moved  to  Cypress  street 
and  Howard  avenue.  Here  they  bought  the  first 
piece  of  ground  owned  by  Negro  Baptists  in  the 
state,  and  erected  a  house  of  worship  thereon. 
Many  were  the  oppressions  and  persecutions  of 
these  humble  servants  of  God,  but  their  faith  in 
Christ  and  his  Word  made  their  burdens  light. 
When  New  Orleans  surrendered  and  freedom  re- 
moved the  persecutions  and  oppressions,  new  zeal 
for  the  faith  sprang  up,  and  the  once-smothered 
flame  burst  forth  and  its  influence  spread  all 
through  the  city  and  parish.  Churches  were  or- 
ganized in  different  parts  of  the  city,  and  in 
every  parish  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 
In  1865  a  large  number  of  churches  had  been 
organized.  Elder  Sanders  and  others  organized 
what  is  now  known  as  the  Louisiana  Southern 
Baptist  Association.  The  following  year  Rev. 
Charles  Satchel  and  others,  taking  issue  at  the 
name,  "Southern  Baptist,"  withdrew  from  the 
-Association,  and  organized  the  First  Free  Mis- 
sion Association.  These  two  bodies  being  zeal- 
ous of  each  other  unto  good  works,  labored  earn- 
estly and  planted  the  Baptist  banner  all  over  the 
southern  part  of  the  state  and.  as  far  up  the  Red 
River  as  Nachitoches,  and  in  the  southwestern 
part  as  far  as  the  line  of  Texas. 

In  1867  a,  very  few  churches  owned  any  prop- 
erty. Preaching  was  done  'in  the  gin  houses, 
ware  houses,  log  cabins,  under  cane  sheds  on 
plantations,  or  rented  houses  in  cities  and  towns. 
In  1871  Revs.  Wm.  Head,  Whaley  and  others  or- 
ganized the  Gumspring  Association  in  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  state;  and  the  brethren  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  state  withdrew  from 


28       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Texas  and  organized  another  Association.  These 
two  bodies  extended  all  over  the  northern  part 
of  the  state,  organizing  and  building  churches  in 
every  town  and  city,  and  on  every  plantation  un- 
til the  ministers  were  heard  of  from  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  to  the  line  of  Arkansas,  and  from  the  line 
of  Mississippi  to  the  line  of  Texas. 

The  work  of  the  Associations  had  grown  to 
such  magnitude  in  1872,  and  each  of  them  cover- 
ing such  large  territories,  that  it  was  impossible 
for  them  to  cultivate  their  fields  properly.  In 
order  to  more  thoroughly  organize  their  forces, 
the  Louisiana  Southern  Baptist  Association,  in 
session  at  Baton  Rouge,  February,  1872,  passed 
a  resolution  inviting  the  other  associations  and 
churches  to  send  delegates  to  meet  in  joint  ses- 
sion at  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church,  New 
Orleans,  La.,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a 
State  Convention.  The  invitation  was  hailed 
with  joy  all  over  the  state,  and  on  the  appointed 
day,  delegates  from  each  Association  and  each 
regularly  organized  Baptist  church  met  and  ac- 
complished their  work. 

In  1883,  the  Convention  in  annual  session  at 
Baton  Rouge,  passed  resolutions  dividing  the 
state  into  fourteen  Associational  Districts.  The 
districts'  plans  were  well  received  by  the  churches 
throughout  the  state,  and  by  July,  1884,  nearly 
every  district  was  organized.  We  have  our 
Grand  State  Convention  with  sixteen  Associa- 
tions. Our  growth  for  the  last  thirty-five  years 
has  been  as  follows :  In  1867  we  had  a  few  small 
churches  organized,  and  about  5,000  members. 
The  ministers  had  just  been  emancipated,  and 
with  a  very  few  exceptions  they  could  neither 
read  nor  write.  We  had  no  day  schools  nor  Sun- 
day-schools.      Today    (1902)     we  have     125,000 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      29 


members;  1,200  churches  at  an  average  cost  of 
$1,000  each,  making-  a  total  of  $1,200,000  worth 
of  church  property  throughout  the  state.  We 
have  eleven  well  organized  and  fairly  equipped 
academies,  namely:  Gibsland,  Alexandria,  Baton 
Rouge,  Donaldsonville,  Cheyneyville,  Opelousas, 
Homer,  Ruston,  Shreveport,  New  Iberia  and 
Monroe.  These  schools  value  on  an  average  of 
$1,200,  making  a  total  valuation  of  $30,000.  Add- 
ing church  and  school  property  together,  you 
have  a  grand  total  of  $1,213,200.  This  does  not 
include  our  Leland  University,  which  is  our  high- 
est institution  of  learning  given  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  ■ 
Holbrook  Chamberlain.  We  have  now  in  the 
state  over  800  pastors  who  read  and  write  intel- 
ligently. We  can  count  our  graduates  by  the 
hundreds;  also  there  has  been  wonderful  im- 
provement in  divine  services.  All  of  this  work 
has  been  accomplished  by  Negro  brain  and  energy 
from  the  Baptist  pulpits,  as  they  have  lifted  up 
Christ  to  the  people.  We  can  say  with  thanks- 
giving and  rejoicing:  "The  Lord  is  with  His 
people." 

The  above  REMARKABLE  progress  recorded 
by  Dr.  Marks  brings  us  up  to  1902.  From  that 
time  to  this  our  material  progress  has  been  phe- 
ncminal.  Today  (1914),  we  thank  God  for  our 
Grand  Old  Convention  born  in  1872.  Further 
mention  will  be  made  of  it  elsewhere  in  this 
volume.  Through  this  and  other  agencies  our 
pioneer  and  post-pioneer  brethren  wrought  more 
than  we  knew.  They  set  in  motion  snow  balls 
of  consecrated  work  which  gained  in  momentum 
and  size  as  they  rolled.  • 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      31 

ORGANIZATION  OF  FIRST  ASSOCIATION. 

As  you  have  observed,  the  associations  are 
older  than  the  conventions,  and  the  churches  are 
older  than  the  associations.  This  is  clear  since 
churches  make  associations  and  associations  make 
conventions.  The  first  association  was  organized 
in  1837  by  Elder  Joseph  Willis,  and  was  called 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  Association.  This  body 
was  formed  of  churches  he  had  previously  or- 
ganized. Dr.  S.  T.  Clanton  says  the  Louisiana 
Southern  Association  was  organized  in  1865,  the 
first  after  Freedom.  We  can  point  with  pride 
to  this  as  the  first  distinctive  Negro  Baptist  As-' 
sociation  of  Louisiana,  but  not  the  first  associa- 
tion organized  by  a  Negro.  Elder  Willis'  organi- 
zation was  of  a  mixed  membership,  while  the  one 
former  by  Elder  Sanders  and  others  was  entire- 
ly of  freedmen. 

These  Christian  workers  grew,  waxed  strong, 
and  led  by  our  pioneer  fathers  did  much  good  in 
those  stormy  days  of  our  denomination's  infancy. 
They  were  officered  by  Elder  Sanders  and  others 
who  won  many  hard-fought  battles  while  digging 
out  the  rubbish  of  sin,  superstition  and  ignorance 
that  the  mudsills  of  New  Testament  doctrines 
might  be  laid.  Hats  should  be  taken  off  to  them 
for  having  set  up  these  landmarks  by  which  we 
are  safely  guided  today.  Further  mention  of 
this  father  of  all  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists  and 
organizer  of  the  state's  first  association  will  be 
made  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 


FIRST  FREE   MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION. 

As  previously  stated,  this  body  was  organized 
by  Elder  Charles  Satchell  and  others,  in  1866. 
They  did  not  like  the  name   "Southern  Baptist 


32       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Association,"  and  consequently  took  issue  and 
organized  the  First  Free  Mission  Association. 
This  body  made  rapid  progress  and  accomplished 
much.  For  some  time  it  vied  with  the  Louisiana 
Southern  Association  in  the  matter  of  organizing 
churches  and  spreading  the  Gospel  along  the 
lower  and  upper  coasts  of  the  Mississippi  River. 
Finally  the  First  Free  Missionary  and  the  South- 
ern Baptist  Associations  came  together  and  be- 
gan  doing  business  under  the  new  name — "First 
District  Missionary  Baptist  Association."  This 
body,  which  will  be  spoken  of  later,  has  done  and 
is  doing  a  commendable  work. 


FIRST  DISTRICT  MISSIONARY  BAPTIST 
ASSOCIATION. 

This  body  was  organized  in  New  Orleans,  La., 
in  1866  by  the  following  brethren:  Bishops 
George  W.  Walker,  John  Marks,  Esau  Carter, 
Charles  Satchell,  Alex  Armstrong,  R.  H.  Steptoe 
and  others.  Besides  having  preached  the  gospel 
and  established  churches  in  New  Orleans  and 
along  the  coasts  of  the  Mississippi  River,  it  has 
fostered  an  Old  Folks  Home. 

Sister  Joanna  P.  Moore  has  the  following  to 
say  with  reference  to  the  founding,  development 
and  growth  of  the  Home:  "The  most  pitiful  ob- 
jects I  found  in  New  Orleans  were  the  old  freed 
women  worn  out  with  years  of  slavery.  They 
were  usually  rag  pickers,  and  had  a  little  hut 
where  they  lodged  at  night,  and  ate  old  scraps 
they  had  begged  during  the  day.  There  was  in 
the  city  an  Old  Ladies'  Home,  but  no  department 
for  colored,  and  there  was  no  alms.  These  old 
people  you  sometimes  found  on  the  streets,  be- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      33 

cause  for  some  reason  they  had  been  turned  out 
of  their  little  corner  and  had  nowhere  to  go. 
Sometimes  the  police  took  them  up  and  lodged 
them  in  the  parish  prison.  They  were  soon 
turned  out  of  this  because  they  were  guilty  of  no 
offence,  save  age,  poverty  and  sickness.  The 
colored  people  had  tried  several  times  to  collect 
money  for  a  Home,  but  something  always  hap- 
pened to  the  treasurer  before  they  got  enough  to 
open  a  Home.  For  two  years  I  made  this  a  sub- 
ject of  prayer.  Nothing  was  done  until  1878, 
when  I  called  together  those  whom  I  thought  the 
most  interested,  both  colored  and  white  friends. 
For  several  weeks  we  unitedly  asked  God  to  sup- 
ply this  great  need. 

"About  the  last  of  January,  1879,  the  Lord 
said:  'Go  Forward.'  Deacon  Lease  (white)  was 
selected  to  hunt  a  house  which  he  soon  found.  The 
first  story  was  fitted  up  for  the  aged,  and  our 
missionaries  moved  into  the  second  story.  I 
first  prayed  for  some  one  to  take  care  of  and  to 
cook  for  these  pilgrims.  Katie  Lewis  was  the 
answer  to  this  prayer.  I  wish  you  could  have 
seen  her.  She  was  about  seventy  years  old, 
tall  and  as  dignified  as  a  queen,  and  wore  her 
turban  as  gracefully.  While  a  slave  she  was  a 
head  cook  and  general  manager  in  the  home  of  a 
rich  planter.  She  was  a  good  Christian  and  had 
correct  ideas  about  most  things.  I  had  never 
met  her.  The  first  day  she  came  to  my  home  she 
said :  'Sister  Moore,  I  am  Katie  Lewis,  The  Lord 
showed  me  in  a  vision  that  I  must  come  and  help 
you  take  care  of  those  little  babies  (as  she  called 
the  old  slaves) .  I  am  old  but  have  good  health, 
and  know  how-to  cook  and  I  want  to  help  you 
missionaries  that  the  Lord  has  sent  down  in  this 


34       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

low-ground  of  sorrow.  Now  I  am  ready  to  go  to 
work.' 

"This  and  more  she  said  in  a  very  direct  and 
business  way.  I  accepted  her  as  God's  gift. 
She  did  not  ask  for  any  money.  Dear  Katie  cer- 
tainly was  a  God-send  and  remained  as  long  as  I 
had  charge  of  the  Home,  leaving  the  day  I  left 
because  she  would  not  serve  under  a  colored 
matron. 

"Our  first  inmate,  Sallie  Henderson,  a  rag 
picker,  old,  dirty,  cross,  sick,  was  received  Febru- 
ary 1,  1879.  She  had  been  unkindly- treated  so 
long  that  she  thought  no  one  loved  her,  and  I  am 
sure  she  did  not  love  any  one,  and  yet  she  was 
a  Christian,  but  down  in  a  very  low  class  of  which 
we  have  so  many  in  our  churches.  Brother  Wil- 
son had  a  cart  in  which  for  more  than  a  year  he 
brought  the  old  people  to  the  Home  without 
charge.  At  first  Sallie  did  not  know  my  plan  to 
leave  the  old  rags  behind.  Poor  Sallie  had  several 
bags  of  them.  I  succeeded  in  burning  some  of 
them,  but  it  almost  broke  her  heart.  I  offered 
her  nice  new  garments,  but  she  preferred  the  old 
rags,  because  she  said  I  am  used  to  them.  We 
had  the  same  trouble  with  most  of  our  inmates, 
and  yet  we  found  among  these  neglected  ones  a 
few  real  saints,  from  whom  I  learned  many  les- 
sons of  gratitude.  I  had  saved  up  $55  with  which 
Ave  began.  Within  one  month  we  had  five  in- 
mates, and  that  money  was  all  gone  and  some 
additional  gifts.  But  our  motto  over  the  mantle 
said:  'The  Lord  will  provide,'  and  in  that  our 
faith  rested  while  we  prayed,  and  according  to  the 
promise  to  supply  our  needs  a  check  of  $15  from 
Miss  E.  C.  Prudden,  of  Wheaton,  111.,  came  the 
very  day  it  was  greatly  needed.  Two  years  later 
she  gave  us  $450  to  help  us  pay  for  our  property. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      35 

I  had  met  this  friend  the  preceding  summer,  and 
told  her  about  my  old  women,  but  she  had  not 
heard  that  the  Home  was  started.  The  Spirit 
that  moved  us  to  pray  said  to  her:  'Send  this 
money  to  Sister  Moore  for  the  old  people.'  I 
wish  I  had  time  to  tell  you  of  the  many  remarka- 
ble answers  to  prayer  in  that  blessed  Home.  We 
never  went  in  debt,  but  when  the  oil  and  meal 
were  nearly  gone,  the  old  saints  joined  me  in 
asking  supplies  from  our  Heavenly  Father.  They 
all  knew  that  God  was  our  Treasurer.  The  first 
year  we  sheltered  22  weary  pilgrims;  none  of 
them  were  well;  six  were  cripples,  one  blind  and 
two  unable  to  leave  their  cots  were  cared  for  like 
babies. 

"I  must  say  a  word  about  two  or  three  of  "our 
babies."  Harriet  Taylor  was  a  poor  drunken 
woman,  whom  I  found  often  in  an  Irish  woman's 
saloon.  After  much  coaxing  I  finally  persuaded 
her  to  come  and  see  my  Home.  She  was  partly 
drunk.  I  led  her  to  the  street  car,  and  because 
it  was  nearly  dark  I  succeeded  in  getting  the 
wretched  woman  on.  My  Home  was  one  block 
from  the  car  line,  and  I  had  hard  work  to  drag 
her  to  the  house.  She  was  determined  to  go 
back.  We  could  not  do  much  for  her  that  night, 
and  the  next  morning  she  asked  for  whisky  and 
said  she  would  die  if  she  did  not  get  it.  Once 
she  had  been  a  professing  Christian.  I  said, 
'Harriet,  whisky  is  killing  your  soul  and  body. 
We  will  ask  God  to  take  away  this  wicked  appe- 
tite, and  then  if  you  believe  you  will  be  saved.' 
We  prayed  and  glory  to  God  the  answer  came. 
Some  days  after  Harriet  said:  'I  don't  study 
about  whisky.  I  prays  and  I  prays ;  sometime  I 
feel  light  and  happy;  sometimes  low  down  and 
sorrowful,  but  I  keeps  on  praying."     Harriet  was 


36       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

brought  to  the  Home  a  perfect  wreck,  and  yet 
God  restored  her  physical  health  so  that  she  was 
a  great  help  in  taking  care  of  Margaret  Jones. 
She  was  a  hundred  years  old.  She  had  fallen 
on  a  pavement  in  December  and  was  never  after- 
ward able  to  walk.  A  kind-hearted  sister  gave 
her  a  room  in  which  there  was  no  fire.  Different 
persons  brought  her  something  to  eat.  The  day 
I  found  her  she  was  about  to  be  turned  ouj;  of 
this  shelter.  I  brought  her  to  my  Home,  laid 
her  on  a  cot  and  took  care  of  her  for  more  than 
two  years,  and  then  she  moved  to  Heaven.  I 
wish  you  could  have  heard  her  say  for  every 
favor  she  received:  'I  thank  you,  Master  Jesus.' 
and  often  with  tears  of  gratitude  rolling  down 
her  withered  cheeks  she  would  turn  and  thank 
the  one  who  brought  the  gift  from  Jesus.  Har- 
riet had  never  met  Margaret  before,  and  yet  she 
cared  for  her  as  tenderly  as  any  daughter  ever 
cared  for  a  mother. 

"We  had  several  inmates  who  were  addicted  to 
drink.  All  were  not  so  completely  saved  as  Har- 
riet. One  day  in  my  visits  I  saw  a  little  child 
leading  a  blind  woman  across  one  of  the  back 
streets.  She  walked  very  slowly.  I  asked 
where  she  lived,  and  we  climbed  a  dirty  stairway. 
'Here,'  she  said,  'this  is  my  home.'  I  asked, 
'where  is  your  bed?'  'I  sleep  on  the  floor  in  one 
corner  this  little  girl's  mother  allows  me  to  have.' 
'Have  you  a  home  in  Heaven?'  'No,  I  have  no 
home  on  earth  nor  in  Heaven,'  and  the  tears 
flowed  from  her  sightless  eyes.  I  said,  'Wait 
here  till  I  come  back.'  I  went  out  and  made  an 
inquiry  about  her,  and  all  the  neighbors  said, 
'Do  take  her  to  the  Home.'  This  I  did  but  the 
car  driver  did  not  want  to  take  such  a  filthy  ob- 
ject into  the  car.     He  did  not  see  the  immortal 


BISHOP  JAMES   MONROE  CARTER. 


38       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

soul  that  now  shines  in  glory.  After  several  at- 
tempts we  succeeded  in  crowding  in.  When  I 
got  home  it  was  long  after  dark,  because  poor 
blind  Lucy  could  walk  so  slowly.  Katie  Lewis 
was  feeling  anxious  lest  something  had  happened 
to  me.  She  met  me  at  the  door.  'What  is  that 
thing,'  she  said  with  contempt.  The  light  re- 
vealed Lucy.  'A  human  being  for  whom  Christ 
died,'  I  replied.  '0,  Sister  Moore,  you  do  not 
know  the  dirt  and  disease  ycu  are  bringing  into 
this  Home.  You  will  ruin  us.'  At  first  she  did 
not  want  to  help  wash  Lucy,  but  when  I  had  all 
ready,  she  came,  saying,  'You  go  away  and  I  will 
do  all  this.'  Soon  after  Lucy  was  converted.  She 
met  me  one  evening  exclaiming:  '0,  Sister  Moore, 
I  have  seen  Jesus,  and  now  I  have  a- home  on  earth 
and  one  'in  Heaven.' 

"Jane  Burk  was  about  one  hundred  years  old, 
and  was  quite  active.  She  knew  how  to  care  for 
the  sick,  of  whom  we  had  many.  She  was  our 
peacemaker,  and  such  persons  are  much  needed 
in  all  homes,  especially  one  like  ours  where  dwelt 
so  many  old  bodies  and  souls,  weary  and  full  of 
pain  and  unhappiness.  Every  little  thing  hurts 
them.  We  feel  that  those  younger  and  stronger 
often  lack  the  tender  sympathy  that  God  wants 
given  those  who  have  "borne  the  burden  and  heat 
of  the  day.' 

Patsy  Shaw,  one  of  our  inmates,  was  a  charac- 
ter that  any  one  could  love.  She  was  reared  in 
Virginia  and  could  read  and  write.  She  and  her 
husband  were  sold  to  a  trader,  and  were  auctioned 
off  in  New  Orleans  about  forty  years  previous. 
She  was  sold  to  a  citizen  of  New  Orleans.  She 
begged  him  to  buy  her  husband.  He  took  Patsy 
home,  but  for  three  days  she  refused  to  eat,  weep- 
ing bitterly.     He  was  a  humane  man  and  for  pity 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      39 

sake  bought  her  husband.  This  bound  her  to  the 
family  by  chords  of  love.  Shortly  after  his  wife 
died,  leaving  two  children  in  Patsy's  care.  The 
father  was  now  an  invalid  and  very  poor — the 
family  having  lost  all  their  property.  They  were 
Catholics.  Patsy  was  a  strong  Baptist  and  still 
had  her  Bible  and  hymn  book  which  she  brought 
from  Virginia.  The  white  children  she  had 
reared  begged  me  to  take  Patsy  into  the  Home 
as  they  were  unable  to  care  for  her.  I  said  I  will 
send  a  cart  for  her,  for  she  had  been  unable  to 
leave  her  bed  for  several  years,  and  they  cared 
for  her.  '0,  no,  I  will  never  send  my  mammy  in 
a  cart.  We  will  get  a  hack  and  bring  her  if  it 
takes  the  last  cent.'  So  the  brother  and  sister 
brought  her,  carried  her  in,  laid  her  on  the  cot, 
knelt  beside  her  and  wept  like  children,  while 
Patsy's  old  black  hand  wiped  the  tears  away  and 
she  comforted  them  with  loving  words  as  I  sup- 
pose she  did  when  they  were  little  children.  They 
came  to  see  her  as  often  as  possible.  Patsy  was 
a  real  lady  of  culture,  fond  of  flowers  and  pretty 
things.  One  morning  her  face  fairly  shone.  I 
asked,  'Patsy,  what  makes  you  look  so  happy?' 
'0,  Sister  Moore,  Jesus  came  last  night  and  told 
me  he  had  my  mansion  ready.'  That  light  never 
left  Patsy's  face  until  Jesus  took  her  into  the 
light  of  Heaven. 

'  "I  have  told  you  about  the  good  folks.  I  like 
to  remember  them.  But  surely  we  did  have  some 
rough  and  coarse  natures  with  which  to  deal.  One 
was  Patience  Jorum.  She  would  take  her  staff 
and  strike  the  others,  if  they  offended  her.  Yet 
she  insisted  that  she  was  a  Christian,  and  that 
the  Lord  gave  her  a- spear  and  said,  'My  little 
one,  go  into  yonders  world  and  spear  my  people.' 
To  this  command  she  was  very  faithful.     I  am 


40      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

sorry  the  world  has  so  many  like  her.  A  large 
number  died  in  our  Home  because  they  were  very 
old  and  sick  when  we  took  them  in;  and  because 
those  admitted  were  both  old  and  sick.  We  not 
only  cared  for  their  worn  bodies,  but  directed 
them  to  the  Great  Physician,  and  none  left  our 
Home  without  giving  evidence  of  readiness  for 
the  Home  in  Heaven. 

"I  wish  I  could  introduce  you  to  one  more  of 
that  forty  inmates,  and  show  you  how  beautifully 
tney  grew  under  the  culture  of  God's  Word.  We 
repeated  texts  in  the  dining-room,  prayer  room 
and  everywhere.  They  could  memorize  one  each 
month.  'Did  prayers  alone  supply  your  needs 
each  month?'  you  ask.  I  answer,  'Yes.'  Letters 
often  came  enclosing  money  without  any  name, 
and  provisions  were  received  when  we  didn't 
know  the  donors.  Persons  in  the  North  whom  I 
had  never  seen  sent  boxes  of  clothes.  I  wish  you 
could  have  seen  our  old  folks  when  we  dressed 
them  up  on  Sundays  and  state  occasions — white 
turbans,  white  neck  handkerchiefs  and  gingham 
aprons.  They  never  felt  dressed  without  an 
apron.  When  these  gifts  came  I  wrote  grateful 
letters  telling  of  the  work  being  done.  At  the 
end  of  the  year  I  published  a  report  and  sent  it 
to  all  who  had  helped,  and  so  the  good  news 
spread  not  by  telling  what  we  were  going  to  do, 
but  by  praising  God  for  what  we  had  done.  The 
fact  that  something  has  been  done  encourages 
individuals  to  give. 

"The  colored  Baptist  churches  in  New  Orleans 
began  to  give  monthly,  and  the  little  children 
trom  the  Sabbath-schools  came  trooping  in  with 
glad  songs,  and  put  their  offerings  of  money  and 
provisions  in  the  old  wrinkled  hands  and  received 
a  'God  bless  you.' 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      41 


Once  George  W.  Cable  sent  me  $10.  Rev.  Hart- 
zell,  now  Bishop  Hartzell,  did  the  same,  also  Dr. 
Holcome  and  other  white  people  in  New  Orleans. 
1  remained  in  charge  about  three  years,  and  stood 
by  the  work  until  the  property  which  cost  $1,500 
was  paid  for.     The  price  was  $2,500,  but  in  an- 
swer to  prayer  the  owner  donated  $1,000  without 
being  asked  to  do  so.     I  then  gave  the  Home  into 
the  hands  of  the  colored  Baptists  with  the  earnest 
request  that  they  would  not  go  into  debt.     They 
tried  to  obey,  but  when  hungry,  incurred  debt, 
saying  as  an  excuse,  'Sister  Moore,  we  are  trust- 
ing  God  to  get  us   out   of  debt  which  is  just  as 
good  as  to  give  us  money  before  we  go  into  debt.' 
Their  philosophy  is  very  popular  today,  but  not- 
withstanding all  mistakes  Faith  Home  has  made, 
she  has  lived  24  years,  and  today  shelters  many 
poor  of  New  Orleans.     To  God  be  all  the  glory. 
"Before  I  close  this  narrative  I  must  refer  to 
a  lesson  I  learned  in  the  Home.     It  is  this :  YOU 
MUST  LOVE  BEFORE  YOU  CAN  COMFORT 
AND  HELP.     Referring  to  my  first  annual  re- 
port of  Faith  Home,  I  find  the  following  record: 
In  starting  this  Home     I  hoped     to     accomplish 
three  things.        (1)    To  care  for  the  aged  poor. 

(2)  To  teach  greater  faith     in  God's    promises. 

(3)  We  hoped  that  this  Home  would  teach  the 
people  the  Bible  plan  of  giving — to  lay  by  from 
thier  income  a  portion  for  the  Lord  as  He  had 
prospered  them,  each  according  to  his  ability,  and 
not  resort  to  such  wrong  methods  as  suppers, 
concerts,  fairs  and  such  things;  and  going  about 
begging  contributions  from  the  world." 

Thus  you  see  from  the  above  what  this  veteran 
missionary,  Sister  J.  P.  Moore,  has  done  for  our 
people.  Too  much  worthy  of  praise  cannot  be  said 


42       Hitsory  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

of  her.  She  has  labored  among  us  for  more  than 
fifty  years  with  marvelous  success;  and  is  now 
(1914)  active  on  the  field.  She  was  among  the 
first  to  come  and  help  us  when  freedom  came. 
The  First  District  brethren  will  always  feel  grate- 
ful to  her.  This  mother  association  has  worked 
well  and  accomplished  much.  According  to  the 
minutes  of  its  forty-fifth  annual  session  it  com- 
prises today  sixty-nine  churches.  Perhaps  there 
are  other  churches  that  did  not  represent.  The 
membership  of  the  District  is  3.397.  This  is  the 
nestor  association  of  the  state,  since  it  has  in  it 
the  first  churches  organized  after  Emancipation. 
Its  present  officers  are  (1911)  :  Elder  J.  H.  Flem- 
ing, Moderator;  Elder  Thomas  Columbus,  Vice 
Moderator;  Elder  A.  Hubbs,  Recording  Secreta- 
ry; Brother  R.  Johnson,  Corresponding  Secreta- 
ry; Bishop  Jackson  Acox,  Treasurer;  Bishop  M. 
S.  Gordon,  Statistician.  Executive  Board  Mem- 
bers :  Bishops  E.  D.  Sims,  J.  R.  Lawson,  G.  W. 
Tony,  John  Brown,  S.  Wilmore,  Levi  Leach,  L.  H 
Ben,  J.  L.  Burrell  and  Ed.  Coleman. 


SECOND  DISTRICT  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 

This  is  one  of  the  state's  oldest  associations. 
Unfortunately  I  have  not  been  able  to  gather  full 
information  as  to  when,  where  and  by  whom  or- 
ganized. With  all  probability  it  is  the  work  of 
pioneer  fathers  just  after  the  order  went  forth 
to  district  the  state.  Like  the  other  associations 
it  has  satisfied  a  long-felt  want  and  rendered  yeo- 
man service  in  the  matter  of  lifting  Christ  up  in 
South  Louisiana. 

At  this  time  (1912)  President  Allen  and  his 
corps  of  officers  are  doing  much  in  the  way  of 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      43 

spreading  Gospel  truth  throughout  the  associa- 
tional  bounds. 

Officers:  Elder  T.  Allen,  President;  Elder  J. 
Tayne,  Vice  President;  Elder  G.  D.  McGruder, 
Recording  Secretary;  Elder  J.  Dumas,  Corre- 
sponding Secretary;  Elder  E.  Stewart,  Treas- 
urer; Elder  B.  Bell,  Missionary.  Executive  Board 
including  the  above  brethren :  Elders  J.  Wallace, 
J.  Tumor,  H.  Roe,  R.  N.  Waters,  A.  J.  Favors, 
V.  Baily,  G.  Western,  B.  P.  Lee,  L.  S.  Hopkins, 
J.  J.  Ellis. 

The  B.  B.  and  0.  Association  has  the  following 
staff  of  officers:  Bishop  W.  P.  Darrington,  Presi- 
dent; Bishop  J.  E.  WTalker,  Recording  Secretary; 
Bishop  R.  W.  White,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
Bishop  J.  Gains,  Treasurer,  and  J.  W.  Brown, 
Missionary.  Executive  Board  (including  above 
officers)  :  Elders  S.  H.  McCall,  S.  H  Sneed,  H.  B. 
Bland,  A.  B.  Stamper,  A.  D.  Turner,  R.  C.  Garri- 
son, J.  Newman,  T.  H.  Jefferson,  S.  A.  Alexander. 


THIRD   DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

Inability  to  get  data  telling  fully  of  the  work 
of  this  body  prevents  me  from  saying  all  I  would 
like  to  say  about  it.  I  am  pleased  to  record,  at 
any  rate,  that  this  organization  has  been  a  force 
for  good  in  South  Louisiana.  The  labors  of  these 
brethren  have  touched  the  work  of  charity  at  the 
Old  Folks  Home  in  one  way  or  another;  the 
educational  work  at  Leland  and  other  points,  and 
have  quickened  Spiritual  life  throughout  tneir 
associational  bounds.  Too  much  cannot  be  said 
in  honor  of  the  old  ministers  of  this  District  for 
well  done  pioneer  work.  The  younger  preachers 
have  been  and  are  standing  today  on  foundations 
laid  by  the  fathers  of  this  District  years  ago. 


ELDER  J.   L.  BURRELL,  D.   D. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      45 

The  following  brethren  comprise  the  staff  of 
associational  officers:  Elder  Robert  Vernon, 
President;  Elder  A.  P.  Orlage  Vice  President; 
Bishop  I.  H.  Perkins,  Recording  Secretary; 
Bishop  E.  A.  Watkins,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
Bro.  H.  Williams,  Treasurer;  Elder  A.  W.  War- 
ren, Missionary. 


OFFICERS  OF  WOMEN'S  ASSOCIATION  OF 
THIRD  DISTRICT. 

Sister  A.  E.  Randall,  President;  Sister  M. 
Daniels,  Vice  President;  Sister  F.  D.  Blanchard, 
Recording  Secretary;  Sister  A.  J.  Baker,  Corre- 
sponding Secretary;  Sister  E.  Johnson,  Treas- 
urer; Sister  Mary  Williams,  Missionary,  and 
Sister  M.  E.  Jones,  Assistant  Missionary. 


FOURTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION/ 

This  Association  was  organized  by  the  pioneer 
fathers  in  1875  on  the  12th  day  of  April.  Con- 
solidated December  10th,  1883;  incorporated  De- 
cember 12th,  1881 ;  re-organized  April  12th,  1895, 
and  on  January  24th  1901,  it  was  re-incorporated. 

In  1905  and  prior  the  Fourth  District  Asso- 
ciation held  jurisdiction  over  or  in  the  following 
parishes:  East  Filiciana,  West  Filiciana,  East 
Baton  Rouge,  West  Baton  Rouge,  Point  Coupee, 
Iberville  and  Livingstone  Parishes. 

This  body  of  Christian  workers,  in  1905,  was 
led  by  the  following  staff  of  officers :  Elder 
Robert  Morrison,  D.  D.,  Moderator;  Bishop  W. 
M.  Taylor,  Vice  Moderator;  Brother  L.  F.  Ger- 
many, Corresponding  Secretary;  Bishop  J.  D. 
Smith,  Recording  Secretary;  Elder  Joseph  Fos- 


46      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

ter,  Treasurer;  Elder  J.  Mitchell,  Missionary  for 
East  Side  of  River,  and  Bishop  P.  W.  Silket, 
Missionary  for  West  Side  of  River. 

Executive  Board,  including  the  officers: 
Bishops  S.  D.  Nance,  Isaac  Anderson,  L.  Scott, 
C.  C.  Richardson,  D.  Palmer,  W.  W.  Georgetown, 
A.  H.  Harbor. 

Educational  Board:  Bishop  W.  M.  Taylor, 
President;  Elder  R.  L.  Williams,  Vice  President; 
Elder  Joseph  Foster,  Secretary;  Bishop  H. 
Rivers,  Educational  Treasurer,  and  Bishops  R. 
Brooks,  A.  Freeman,  L.  Bullup,  J.  B.  Williams, 
C.  L.  Washington. 

Dr.  T.  A.  Walker,  M.  D.,  Superintendent  of 
Baton  Rouge  Academy,  and  Prof.  J.  S.  Clark, 
Principal  of  Academy. 

This  Association  has  done,  and  under  the  lead- 
ership of  Bishop  W.  M.  Taylor  is  today  (1914) 
doing  a  great  work  in  the  matter  of  lifting  Negro 
Baptists  religiously  and  educationally. 


FIFTH  DISTRICT  ASSO^ATION. 

This  Association  was  organized  in  1870  by 
Elders  Isaiah  Lawson,  Thomas  L.  Rhodes,  I.  C. 
Stewart  and  R.  Coleman.  Bishop  Lawson  was 
its  first  president.  Then  followed  successively 
Bishops  R.  Coleman,  I.  H.  Stewart  and  Dr.  H.  C. 
Cotton,  who  at  this  time  (1912)  stands  as  the 
Moses  of  this  great  Baptist  host,  numbering 
3,200  as  loyal  Baptists  as  can  be  found  anywhere 
in  the  Union.  Dr.  Cotton  is  a  man  who  believes 
in  doing  things  by  DOING  THEM.  This  fact 
is  evidenced  by  what  he  and  his  great  association 
have  done  and  are  doing.  For  more  than  twenty 
years  he  has  led  them  in  the  work  of  lifting  up  * 
the  men,  women  and  children  "farthest  down." 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      47 

Through  his  ability  to  do  things  two  academies 
have  been  founded — one  at  Houma,  La.,  and  an- 
other at  Belle  Alliance,  La.  Both  of  these  schools 
have  been  powerful  influences  for  good  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  expelling  ignorance  and  vice. 
The  cost  of  these  school  buildings  was  more  than 
$2,000  each.  They  are  two-story  frame  build- 
ings and  are  completed  throughout,  very  well 
furnished  with  the  latest  improved  desks  and 
furniture.  Dr.  Cotton  took  a  single  church,  the 
Israel  Baptist  Church,  and  erected  the  Israel 
Academy  building  at  a  cost  of  $2,556.20.  They 
were  only  six  months  and  one  day  paying  this 
amount. 

The  property  of  the  District  is  as  follows :  two 
plots  of  ground,  two  school  buildings  and  a  credi- 
table Old  Folks  Home.  The  members  of  this 
District  under  their  pioneer  fathers  and  the 
great  men  they  now  have,  have,  without  doubt, 
wrought  well.  Their  present  staff  of  officers 
(1913)  follows:  Bishop  H.  C.  Cotton,  President; 
Bishop  C.  D.  Reese,  Vice  President;  Professor 
D.  F.  Ross,  A.  ML,  LL.  B.,  Recording  Secretary; 
Bishop  C.  S.  Collins,  A.  B.,  M.  D.,  Corresponding 
Secretary;  Elder  T.  L.  Welch,  Treasurer,  and 
Bishop  S.  L.  McComb,  Missionary. 

S.  S.  Association  Officers:  Bishop  0.  Williams, 
President;  Bishop  J.  W.  Wickham,  Recording 
Secretary;  Prof.  McWillis,  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, and  Elder  T.  L.  Welch,  Treasurer. 

P.  S. — Since  the  above  was  written  Elder  Cot- 
ton has  gone  to  his  reward  and  Bishop  Chas,  D. 
Reese  is  now  (1914)  Moderator. 


48  -     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptistj. 

SIXTH   DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

This  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  active  dis- 
tricts in  the  state.  It  was  organized  by  Elder 
J.  B.  Livingston  and  other  pioneer  leaders  in 
1877. 

Elder  Livingston  has  been  its  honored  head 
for  more  than  thirty-seven  years.  Thisbody  of 
Christian  workers  has  weathered  many  storms 
during  these  years,  but  this  veteran  leader  has 
stood  heroically  on  the  bridge  of  this  ship  of 
Zion  and  kept  her  from  going  to  pieces  on  the 
rocks.  Brother  Livingston  and  his  co-workers 
began  this  work  with  but  few  churches,  but  to- 
day the  Sixth  District  Association  is  among-  the 
largest  and  most  influential  in  the  state,  having 
ordained  preachers  many  and  organized  NOT  A 
FEW  churches. 

In  addition  to  the  large  amount  of  church  work 
this  District  has  wrought  well  educationally. 
Howe  Institute,  the  pride  of  Sixth  District  Bap- 
tists, stands  as  a  monument  of  educational  inter- 
est. This  splendid  school  began  its  existence 
among  these  brethren  in  1890,  and  has  borne 
much  fruit.  In  point  of  commodious  school 
buildings,  the  Sixth  District  leads;  other  Dis- 
tricts follow.  In  addition  to  a  large  two-story 
frame  building,  they  have  erected  a  beautiful 
two-story  brick  building  at  a  ccst  of  $8,000. 

The  Sixth  District  Association  is  officered  by 
the  following  brethren:  Elder  J.  B.  Livingston, 
Moderator;  Elder  J.  T.  B.  Labeau,  Vice  Modera- 
tor; Elder  J.  C.  Rochell,  Recording  Secretary; 
Bishop  A.  J.  Horton,  Corresponding' Secretary; 
and  Bishop  Prince  Albert,  Treasurer. 

Sunday-School  Association  Officers:  Bishop  A. 
J.  Horton,  President;  Bishop  A.  R.  Butler,  Vice 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        49 

President;  Bishop  A*  J.  Willis,  Recording  Secre- 
tary; Elder  J.  W.  Cooper,  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, and  Elder  J.  C.  Rochell,  Treasurer. 

Women's  Association:  Sister  S.  Jenkins,  Pres- 
ident; Sister  N.  L.  West,  Recording  Secretary; 
Sister  L.  D.  Bray,  Corresponding  Secretary,  and 
Sister  L.  J.  Green,  Treasurer. 


SEVENTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  year  1874  there  was  organized  at  Ope- 
lousas,  La.,  an  Association  known  as  the  Seventh 
District  Baptist  Association.  The  following 
brethren  were  the  organizers:  Bishops  J.  P. 
Davenport,  Osborne  England,  Samuel  Moore, 
James  McNeil,  V.  Rideau,  Isaac  Hodges,  John 
Horn  and  others.  Its  first  officers  were  J.  P. 
Davenport,  Moderator;  S.  W.  White,  Secretary; 
V.  L.  Rideau,  Treasurer.  Its  present  offiecrs 
(1911)  are:  Bishop  H.  L.  Stewart,  Moderator; 
Elder  E.  W.  Renty,  Vice  Moderator;  Dr.  G.  M. 
Hunter,  Recording  Secretary;  Brother  P.  L. 
Silas,  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  Brother  L. 
J.  Campbell,  Treasurer. 

These  Christian  workers  have  done  much  in 
the  work  of  "lifting  up"  in  their  part  of  the  state. 
Their  work  began  in  a  hot-bed  of  Roman  Cathol- 
icism with  a  handful  of  members,  so  to  speak, 
but  today  they  praise  God  for  sixty-five  strong 
churches  with  a  membership  of  5,000  or  more 
marching  under  the  triple  declaration  of  "One 
Lord,  one  Faith  and  one  Baptism."  Bishop  L.  C. 
Simon,  in  1900,  founded  one  of  the  best  high 
schools  in  the  state,  which  under  his  fostering 
care  has  gone  steadily  on  in  the  good  work  of 
saving  our  boys  and  girls.  This  school  has  a 
good  annual  enrollment  and  has  grown  in  value 


50      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

from  almost  nothing  to  $20,000  in  1911.  Elder 
Simon  and  co-workers  deserve  much  credit  for 
this  great  work. 

In  a  few  short  years  this  District  has  accumu- 
lated the  following:  School  property,  $20,000; 
church  property,  $95,000;  total,  $115,000. 


SECOND  EIGHTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  year  1872  this  body  was  organized  by 
Bishops  C.  H.  Ellis,  F.  Boyd,  A.  January  and 
others.  This  being  one  of  our  pioneer  associa- 
tions, it  necessarily  began  its  existence  with  a 
few  churches,  but  it  has  grown  steadily  and 
worked  hard  in  carrying  the  Gospel  to  its  remot- 
est territorial  bounds.  So  that  today  (1911)  the 
membership  numbers  872  or  more,  and  under  the 
leadership  of  Moderator  Smith  they  are  pushing 
on  to  higher  grounds. 

In  addition  to  the  large  amount  of  religious 
work  done,  this  body  of  Christian  workers  has 
done  a  great  deal  by  way  of  encouraging  and 
supporting  schools  for  the  education  of  its  young 
people.  Many  strong  young  men  and  women 
have  gone  out  into  life's  work  from  this  section 
of  the  state,  and  have  touched  communities  for 
good  wherever  they  have  located.  Prominent 
among  these  young  people  who  have  forged  their 
way  to  the  front  is  Professor  C.  C.  Smith,  B.  A., 
who  is  (1911)  a  member  of  the  Faculty  of  Le- 
land  University. 

OFFICERS    OF   ASSOCIATION. 

Elder  Alonzo  Smith,  Moderator;  Elder  I. 
Young,  Vice  Moderator;  Elder  W.  T.  Purvis,  Re- 
cording Secretary;  Elder  Henry    Brew,     Corre- 


J.   W.  WILEY.   M.  D. 


ELDER  C.  L.  ROBERTS.  D.  D. 


52       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

sponding  Secretary;  Elder  J.  H.  Ellis,  Treasurer, 
and  Elder  H.  R.  Norris,  Missionary. 

Executive  Board  (including  above  officers)  : 
Elders  L.  T.  Tison,  O.  Smith,  C.  H.  Thomas,  S. 
T.  Wilkins,  E.  Griffin,  W.  M.  Banks,  G.  W.  Pan- 
nell. 

S.  S.  Association  Officers:  Brothers  L.  T.  Ti- 
son, President;  E.  L.  Parker,  Vice  President; 
R.  C.  White,  Recording  Secretary;  E.  Fobs,  Cor- 
responding Secretary;  W.  M.  Phillips,  Treasurer, 
Mc  Burns  and  L.  W.  Wallace,  District  Directors. 

Officers  Woman's  Association:  Sisters  Carrie 
Payne,  President;  H.  Johnson,  Vice  President; 
J.  B.  Wilkins,  Recording  Secretary;  M.  L.  Wil- 
kins, Corresponding  Secretary;  M.  Jackson, 
Treasurer,  and  L.  Johnson,  District  Missionary. 

Both  the  S.  S.  Association  and  the  Woman's  As- 
sociation have  done  and  are  doing  much  good  for 
the  cause  of  Christ. 


TENTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

This  organization  covers  a  large  territory  in 
Northeast  Louisiana.  It  was  organized  in  1872 
in  Cloudy  Creek  Baptist  Church  by  the  following 
Elders :  T.  H.  Johnson,  who  was  the  first  Presi- 
dent, Phillip  Robinson,  John  Strauther,  Stephen 
Bailer,  Isaac  Grant,  Mitchell  Sims,  H.  A.  Scates, 
I.  Verwood,  J.  Jacob  and  A.  Johnson.  Drs.  J. 
Tresvant  and  J.  Mangham  (white)  assisted  the 
brethren. 

They  began  with  seventeen  church,  member- 
ship about  2,000;  today  (1912)  they  number 
more  than  10,000.  This  body  has  wrought  well, 
and  greatly  improved  conditions  in  this  part  of 
the  state.  Not  only  have  they  preached  the  Gos- 
pel, organized  and  built  up  churches,  but  they 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        53 

have  and  are  now  doing  a  deal  of  educational 
work.  The  North  Louisiana  Industrial  High 
School  located  at  Monroe  with  the  scholarly  Prof. 
M.  J.  Foster  at  its  head,  is  sufficient  proof  of  the 
District's  interest  in  education.  Elder  H.  R. 
Flynn,  who  for  years  has  been  chairman  of  the 
Trustee  Board,  Bishop  Hill  and  the  late  Bishops 
Hamilton  and  Flood  and  scores  of  other  strong' 
men  have  labored  hard  for  the  educational  work 
of  the  District. 

Professor  Foster,  its  efficient  principal,  is  a 
.college  graduate  of  Leland  University  and  a  man 
of  experience  in  matters  pertaining  to  school 
management.  With  his  able  faculty,  he  is  doing 
head,  heart  and  hand  work  that  measures  up  with 
any  state  district  school.  This  school  was  founded 
in  1895  by  Elders  Wm.  Hamilton,  W.  P.  Darring- 
ton,  J.  B.  Bolden  and  others.  Its  present  valuation 
(1912)  is  $3,000.  This  host  of  Christian  work- 
ers has  been  led  from  1872  to  1912  by  the  follow- 
ing Moderators:  Elder  T.  H.  Johnson,  C.  Gard- 
ner, William  Hamilton,  lAuder  Back,  Flood  and 
W.  W.  Hill.  Bishop  Hill,  the  present  Moderator 
(1912),  is  an  untiring  worker  and  stands  shoul- 
der to  shoulder  with  any  District  Moderator  in 
the  state  in  point  of  devotion  to  the  Master's 
cause.  No  District  in  the  state  is  more  loyal  to 
the  Convention.  She  easily  holds  her  place 
among  the  banner  districts  of  the  state. 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

In  August,  1870,  this  Association  came  into 
existence.  It  was  organized  in  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church,  Natchitoches,  La.,  by  the  following 
brethren :  Elders  A.  R.  Blunt,  Martin  Kiles,  Ben- 


54      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

jamin  Perrow,  Professor  John  G.  Lewis  and 
others  who  names  cannot  now  be  recalled. 

For  many  years  this  body  was  successfully  led 
by  the  following  officers:  Elders  A.  R.  Blunt, 
Moderator;  Martin  Kiles,  Vice  Moderator;  Ben- 
jamin Perrow,  Treasurer,  and  Professor  John 
G.  Lewis,  Recording  Secretary. 

These  brethren  deserve  much  credit  for 
pioneer  work.  Present-day  conveniences  of 
travel  were  unknown  to  them,  yet  they  pressed 
their  way  to  the  remotest  bounds  of  their  Dis- 
trict, planting  the  gospel  banner  as  they  marched. 
Elder  A.  J.  Harris  succeeded  Bishop  Blunt.  The 
younger  men  under  Bishop  Harris  have  been  and 
are  carrying  the  work  on  nobly,  building  on  the 
foundation  laid  by  the  fathers.  They  have  gone 
on  with  the  work  of  organizing  churches,  ordain- 
ing preachers,  until  the  entire  District  has  been 
flooded  by  gospel  light.  Years  ago  it  took  its 
place  among  the  banner  districts  of  the  state, 
and  up  to  this  writing  (1914)  it  has  held  its  own 
in  the  great  work  of  Christianizing  Louisiana. 
This  association  has  evidenced  its  interest  in 
education  by  doing  what  it  could  by  way  of  fos- 
tering and  encouraging  schools.  Moderator  Har- 
ris, a  broad-hearted  and  liberal-minded  man,  is 
always  ready  for  any  movement  that  promises 
to  lift  his  constituency  spiritually  and  educa- 
tionally. 

OFFICERS  AND  EXECUTIVE  BOARD. 

Elder  A.  J.  Harris,  Moderator;  Elder  B.  A. 
Amons,  Vice  Moderator;  Elder  George  W.  Green, 
Sr.,  Recording  Secretary;  Elder  M.  A.  Gurst, 
Treasurer;  Elder  A.  D.  Anderson,  Corresponding 
Secretary;  Elder  John  Loveless,   District     Mis- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  in  America.       55 

sionary,  Ringold,  La.;  Elder  George  W.  Green, 
Sr.,  District  Missionary,  Campti,  La.;  Elder  S. 
Carter,  District  Missionary,  Montrose,  La.;  El- 
der Wm.  Clayton,  High  School,  Treasurer;  El- 
ders S.  Horton,  F.  Hatcher,  L.  S.  Hodge,  R.  A. 
Nash. 


LOUISIANA  BAPTIST  STATE  S.  S.  CONVEN- 
TION. 

After  the  organization  of  churches,  associa- 
tions and  conventions  came  the  institution  of 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  Sunday-School  State  Con- 
vention. 

Bishops  S.  T.  Clanton,  C.  J.  Hardy  and  other 
pioneer  leaders  were  responsible  for  the  introduc- 
tion of  this  work.  These  brethren  wrought  more 
than  they  knew  in  that  they  set  in  motion  a 
movement  that  has  blessed  thousands  of  chil- 
dren in  the  state,  and  quickened  spiritual  life  in 
old  people  as  well. 

In  1887  the  officers  were:  Bishop  C.  J.  Hardy, 
President;  Elder  A.  L.  Reese,  Vice  President; 
Bishop  S.  T.  Clanton,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
Bishop  H.  K.  TBarret,  Recording  Secretary,  and 
Elder  B.  Dorsey,  .Treasurer. 

Bishop  A.  J.  Horton,  of  New  Iberia,  was  for 
many  years  the  honored  President  of  this  body. 
He  and  his  co-workers  accomplished  much.  Other 
Presidents  whose  names  I  cannot  now  recall  fol- 
lowed in  the  wake  of  Elder  Horton's  well  done 
work. 

At  this  time  (1914)  Elder  D.  M.  Brown  leads 
the  Sunday-school  hosts  of  the  State.  They  held 
a  splendid  session  recently  at  Crowly,  La.  They 
adjourned  to  meet  next  year  (1915)  at  Homer, 
La. 


ELDER    L.    ALLEN,    SR. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        57 

The  present  staff  of  officers  follows:  Bishop 
D.  M.  Brown,  President;  Elder  H.  C.  Ross,  Vice 
President;  Bishop  T.  H.  Evans,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; Bishop  J.  W.  White,  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary; Brother  J.  A.  Steadman,  State  Mission- 
ary; Bishop  G.  S.  Lee,  Sub-Missionary,  and  Elder 
J.  R.  Rodney,  Sub- Missionary.  Brother  Stead- 
man  is  a  splendid  Sunday-school  worker,  and  is 
also  under  the  co-operative  plan  of  the  Southern 
White  Baptist  Convention. 

Bishop  Evans  is  accomplishing  much  at  Oak 
Ridge,  and  is  one  of  the  Tenth  District  leaders. 
Bishop  White  is  one  of  the  leading  workers  at 
Bunkie  and  is  helping  his  people  no  little  bit. 


TWELFTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

THE  WOMAN'S  HOME  MISSION  ASSOCIATION. 

This  noble  band  of  Christian  women  has 
worked  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the  brethren 
and  has  accomplished  much.  Under  the  leader- 
ship of  Sister  F.  M.  Washington  they  give  prom- 
ise of  continued  great  work  as  the  years  come 
and  go. 

Officers  and  Board  members  are  as  follows: 
Sister  F.  M.  Washington,  President;  Sister  Ella 
Cloud,  Vice  President;  Sister  Eugenia  Allen, 
Recording  Secretary ;  Sister  A.  J.  Thompson,  Cor- 
responding Secretary;  Sister  Ann  Ladson,  Treas- 
urer; District  Missionaries,  Sister  M.  T.  Ander- 
son, Sister  Rosa  Carter,  Sister  E.  M.  Brown,  Sis- 
ter Ella  Cloud,  Sister  Ann  Ladson,  Sister  E.  M.. 
Washington  and  Sister  Clara  Williams. 

Executive  Board,  including  officers:  Sister  L.. 
H.  Morris,  Sister  Charlotte  Russell,  Sister  E.  M. 
Brown,  Sister  M.  T.  Anderson,  Sister  Katie  Pri- 


58       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

erson,  Sister  Annie  Levy,  Sister  Bell  Speed,  Sis- 
ter Katie  Chatman,  Sister  Catherine  Miles,  Sis- 
ter E.  L.  Primm,  Sister  Martha  Felix. 


NEW  BEULAH   ASSOCIATION   NUMBER   4. 

This  body  of  Christian  workers  is  doing  splen- 
did work  in  and  around  Natchitoches,  under  the 
leadership  of  Bishop  Z.  Z.  Harrison.  Twenty- 
five  churches  represent  in  this  Association,  with 
a  membership  of  2,000.  Elder  Z.  Z.  Harrison  is 
the  efficient  Moderator;  Brother  W.  M.  Allen  is 
the  worthy  scribe.  Among-  other  associational 
leaders  are:  Bishops  Henry  Douglas,  D.  January, 
E.  A.  Adams,  S.  L.  Hamilton,  John  Gains,  B.  R. 
Holmes,  M.  C.  Holmes  and  J.  L.  Cole. 


THIRTEENTH  DISTRICT  ASSOCIATION. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  progres- 
sive districts  in  the  state,  and  is  the  home  dis- 
trict of  the  writer.  Its  beginning  and  work 
date  back  to  1876  when  Bishop  Wm.  Massy,  of 
Marshall,  Texas,  was  appointed  by  the  Louisiana 
and  Texas  brethren  Educational  and  Financial 
Agent.  Half  of  what  he  raised  went  to  start  the 
FIRST  educational  work  in  North  Louisiana, 
while  the  other  half  was  used  to  foster  educa- 
tional work  in  Texas.  One  hundred  dollars  was 
raised  in  the  first  Educational  Rally. 

After  the  Louisiana  brethren  withdrew  from 
the  Texas  brethren  they  formed  local  associa- 
tions, the  first  being  organised  in  1880  with 
Bishop  L.  C.  Capers  as  Moderator.  This  first 
organization  was  effected  by  Elders  L.  C.  Ca- 
pers, Luke  Allen,  Sr.,  N.  W.  Winston,  Jackson 
Powell,  Eli  Adams,  Dave  Grantham,  Tom  Luke 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  in  America.       59 

and  others.  Bishop  Robert  Taylor  was  elected 
Missionary — the  first  to  go  forth  in  this  part  of 
the  state. 

The  North  Louisiana  Association  No.  1  was 
organized  in  1869  with  the  following  officers: 
Bishop  John  Jones,  Moderator;  Elder  Dave  Gran- 
tham, Vice  Moderator;  P.  W.  Shivers,  Secretary, 
and  a  Treasurer  whose  name  cannot  be  recalled. 
Others  helped  to  set  up  this  body,  whose  names 
are  lost  to  this  history,  but  their  names  are  on 
the  "Record  on  High"  to  be  known  when  the  roll 
is  called  in  Heaven. 

The  Thirteenth  District  Association  is  the  re- 
sult of  the  union  of  local  bodies,  and  was  con- 
stituted in  the  year  1888  at  Antioch  Baptist 
Church,  Elder  L.  Allen,  Sr.,  pastor,  Shreveport, 
La.  The  following  brethren  affected  the  organi- 
zation: L.  Allen,  Sr.,  C.  S.  Shelton,  Allen  John- 
son, Daniel  Gross,  L.  C.  Capers,  Robert  Taylor, 
J.  M.  Carter,  H.  C.  Coleman,  F.  J.  Cook  and 
others.  Bishop  J.  M.  Carter  was  chosen  to  be  the 
Association's  first  Moderator,  and  Deacon  A.  A. 
Pradd  its  first  Secretary.  The  rest  of  the  officers 
were  elected  and  the  Association  got  down  to 
business.  Elder  L.  C.  Capers  was  subsequently 
elected  to  the  Moderatorship  and  served  accept- 
bly  for  a  number  of  years. 

In  the  year  1894,  during  the  session  held  at 
Mansfield,  La.,  with  the  St.  John  Baptist  Church, 
Elder  Albert  Isaac  Carter,  by  the  will  of  the  asso- 
ciation, came  to  the  Moderator's  chair.  This 
body  has  wrought  well  religiously  and  educa- 
tionally since  this  grand  old  man  has  had  his 
"hands  upon  the  throttle  and  his  eyes  upon  the 
rails."  He  took  the  work  up  where  his  prede- 
cessors had  creditably  left  off  and  brought  it 
forward  with  marked  success.     This  Thirteenth. 


60      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

District  as  such  had  no  educational  work  going 
on  at  this  time.  A  school  known  as  Providence 
Academy,  however,  was  being  operated  in  its 
midst  by  a  Trustee  Board  independent  of  the  as- 
sociation. This  school  was  the  product  of  the 
great  mind  of  Dr.  A.  M.  Newman,  who  was  its 
founder  and  Educational  Supervisor.  The  teacU- 
ers  were  Miss  Blanch  Sterrett,  Miss  Elizabeth 
Norrington  and  others,  whose  names  cannot  now 
be  recalled.  The  Providence  Academy  accom- 
plished much  under  its  efficient  Board,  able  Su- 
pervisor and  faculty.  Bishop  A.  B.  Daniels  was 
the  popular  chairman  of  this  Board. 

In  the  fall  of  1894  the  Providence  Academy 
Board  and  the  Thirteenth  District  Executive 
Board  met  in  joint  session  at  the  Antioch  Bap- 
tist Church,  Dr.  A.  M.  Newman,  pastor,  and 
agreed  on  the  dissolution  of  the  Providence 
Academy  and  the  organization  of  the  Thirteenth 
District  Academy,  with  Professor  Wm.  Hicks  as 
Principal;  Miss  Blanch  Sterrett,  Assistant;  and 
Dr.  A.  M.  Newman,  Supervisor.  So  to  speak, 
the  Institution  got  up  steam  and  started  out, 
sending  word  ahead  "to  close  all  switches  because 
the  Thirteenth  District  Academy  was  on  the  main 
line."  The  beginning  of  this  school  was  small 
and  humble.  When  Principal  Hicks  climbed  the 
hill,  October,  1894,  on  which  he  hoped  to  find  a 
two-story  structure  completely  equipped,  instead 
he  found  an  old  "L"  shaped  cast-away  dwelling 
house  on  whose  top  was  the  warm-hearted  and 
education-loving  Bishop  A.  T.  Sumpter  and  the 
faithful  Deacon  Aaron  Gaskin,  with  hammer  in 
hand,  stopping-  the  leaks  in  the  old  building. 
After  five  years  of  successful  labor  the  Principal 
moved  this  old  house  back,  made  a  dining-room 
and  kitchen  of  it,  and  on  its  site  erected  to  the 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        61 

credit  of  the  District  a  fine  $3,000  two-story 
frame  building".  In  a  short  while  the  District 
had  paid  every  cent  on  it.  No  member  of  the 
Board  worked  harder  and  more  zealously  in  the 
erection  of  this  edifice  and  the  payment  of  the 
debt  than  did  Bishop  A.  H.  Samuels,  chairman 
of  School  Board.  He  stood  ready  at  all 
times  to  encourage  the  Principal  with  both  his 
money  and  his  words.  The  enrollment  of  the 
school  grew  rapidly  to  nearly  300,  and  the  term 
receipts  from  tuition,  board,  etc.,  to  more  than 
.$2,000,  when  Professor  Hicks  resigned  in  1903 
and  accepted  the  Deanship  of  the  Theological  De- 
partment of  Coleman  College,  Gibsland,  La.  The 
Managing  Board  of  the  school  was  made  up  of 
the  following  brethren:  A.  H.  Samuels,  Presi- 
dent; C.  S.  Shelton,  Secretary;  J.  M.  Carter,  Dis- 
trict Supervisor  of  Education;  J.  T.  Alexander, 
A.  T.  Sumpter,  L.  W.  Canfield,  L.  C.  Capers,  H. 
R.  Flynn  and  Wm.  Caldwell.  The  following 
teachers  have  served  this  school:  Wm.  Hicks,  B. 
A.,  D.  D.;  Miss  Blanch  Sterrett,  Prof.  Harris 
Hamilton,  Mrs.  Desire  Morse  Priestly,  Mrs.  Olivia 
Madison  Hicks,  Mrs.  Julia  Carter  Whalley,  Mrs. 
Rhoda  Brown  Madkin,  Mrs.  Agnes  Johnson  Mick- 
ens,  Mrs.  Dr.  Rainwater,  Mrs.  Lula  Burgess 
Capers,  Mrs.  Dr.  J.  H.  Henderson,  Mrs.  Harris 
Hamilton,  Professor  A.  Cheatham,  B.  A.,  Profes- 
sor R.  P.  Player,  Professor  A.  Leatherman,  B.  A., 
Professor  A.  C.  Capers,  B.  A.,  Professor  J.  E. 
Wilson  and  others. 

This  school  has  grown  from  a  minimum  value 
or  §600  or  $700  to  a  maximum  of  about  $6,000 
or  $7,000  in  1914.  It  comprises  one  two-story 
frame  building  with  an  attached  boys'  depart- 
ment, seven  or  eight  city  lots  and  120  acres  of 
farm  land.     The  District's    churches    have    in- 


BISHOP   W.   W.   HILL 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  in  America.      63 

creased  to  94,  with  a  membership  of  about  9,000. 
Elder  A.  H.  Samuels  has  been  recently  elected 
Moderator   (1913). 

In  connection  with  the  Association  of  churches 
this  body  has  three  working  auxiliaries  that  are 
accomplishing-  much. 

The  entire  staff  of  District  officers  follows: 
Elder  A.  H.  Samuels,  Moderator;  Bishop  E.  S. 
Stills,  Vice  Moderator;  Bishop  C.  S.  Shelton,  Re- 
cording- Secretary;  Brother  J.  A.  Steadman,  Cor- 
responding Secretary;  Bishop  J.  J.  Evans,  Treas- 
urer; Professor  R.  P.  Player,  Auditor. 

Sunday-School  Association  officers:  Brother  J. 
A.  Steadman,  President;  Mrs.  S.  C.  Williams, 
Vice  President;  Prof.  R.  P.  Player,  Recording 
Secretary;  Miss  Essie  Bailey,  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary; Brother  H.  C.  Henderson,  Treasurer. 

Baptist  Young  People's  Union:  Brother  H.  S. 
Davis,  President;  Brother  L.  E.  Murray,  Vice 
President;  Miss  Johnetta  Bradford,  Recording 
Secretary;  Bishop  I.  A.  Carter,  Jr.,  Correspond- 
ing Secretary. 

Woman's  Home  Mission  Association:  Mrs.  S. 
C.  Williams,  President;  Mrs.  J.  C.  Carter,  Vice 
President;  Mrs.  H.  R.  Flynn,  Recording  Secre- 
tary; Mrs.  Margaret  Chew,  Treasurer. 


NORTHWEST  LOUISIANA  BAPTIST  ASSO- 
CIATION. 

Among  the  oldest  and  most  progressive  asso- 
ciations in  the  state  is  the  Northwest  No.  1.  Its 
organization  was  affected  in  1872  by  the  follow- 
ing Bishops:  William  Newman,  Cager  Nelson, 
Peter  McDaniel,  Monroe  Moore  and  others  at 
Saint  Rest  Baptist  Church,   Minden,   La. 

Since  its  organization  it  has  been  victoriously 


64      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

led  by  the  following  officers:  Elders  William 
.Newman,  Jerry  Chaptman,  W.  W.  Stewart,  Mktt 
Glover,  Monroe  Moore,  Joseph  Frank,  J.  R. 
Moore,  James  Newman,  P.  P.  Mellon,  Th.,  B., 
and  the  present  (1913)  intrepid  and  tireless 
leader,  Bishop  Jerry  A.  Moore,  Th.  B.  The 
pioneer  preachers  began  work  in  this  part  of  the 
state  when  the  darkness  of  ignorance  and  sin 
was  dense.  There  was  hardly  a  ray  of  light  to 
guide  them  on  their  way,  but  their  faith  was 
strong  in  God.  They  got  together  a  few  scattered 
churches  soon  after  freedom  and  set  themselves 
to  work.  Their  small  beginning  has  grown  into 
a  strong  and  influential  association  with  twenty- 
five  or  more  churches  and  a  membership  of  more 
than  2,500.  This  body  of  Christian  workers  is 
after  "the  man  farthest  down"  and  is  gradu- 
ally getting  him  in  hand.  Its  churches  would 
number  more  but  for  the  giving  birth  to  the 
Springfield  Missionary  and  Educational  Associa- 
tion which  is  doing  a  great  work  throughout 
Bienville  and  other  parishes.  Besides  church 
work  well  done  these  brethren  have  done  and  are 
doing  a  deal  of  educational  work. 

For  a  number  of  years  many  of  its  members 
gave  liberally  for  the  support  of  Coleman  Col- 
lege, and  since  1905  they  have  fostered  the  North- 
west Louisiana  District  High  School  No.  1, 
which  was  founded  by  Bishops  J.  R.  Moore,  P.  P. 
Mellon,  Th.  B.,  J.  M.  Moore,  A.  G.  McDaniel  and 
others.  The  school  comprises  a  two-story  frame 
structure  situated  on  about  33  acres  of  fine  land 
valued  at  $3,000.  Bishop  J.  A.  Moore,  B.  Th.,  a 
man  of  great  mental,  moral  and  spiritual  power, 
is  the  present  (1912)  head  of  this  Association. 
He  is  leading  this  body  to  "higher  grounds." 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        65 

LIBERTY  HILL  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  year  1884,  this  body  came  into  existence 
at  the  Liberty  Hill  Baptist  Church.  The  or- 
ganization was  effected  by  Bishops  G.  W.  Jack- 
son, W.  B.  Washington,  R.  D.  Mr.lone,  G.  H.  Gul- 
latt  and  others. 

The  number  of  churches  was  small,  but  today 
(1911)  it  comprises  thirty-one  of  the  best 
churches  in  the  state.  The  pioneer  New  Testa- 
ment preachers  of  this  period  were  men  of  sterl- 
ing character.  They  served  the  people  faithfully 
in  their  day,  and  laid  a  foundation  deep  and 
broad  upon  which  the  young  ministers  coming 
after  have  raised  creditable  superstructures. 

The  association's  Moderators  and  Secretaries 
from  its  organization  to  date  (1912)  follow:  El- 
ders G.  W.  Jackson,  Moderator,  and  G.  H.  Gul- 
latt,  Secretary;  then  came  Bishops  G.  B.  Washing- 
ton, Moderator,  and  A.  J.  Jackson,  Secretary; 
and  last  but  not  least,  the  present  stalwart  Chris- 
tian leaders,  Bishops  D.  M.  Brown,  Moderator, 
and  L.  W.  Fuller,  Secretary. 

These  brethren  have  wrought  well,  having 
preached  the  Gospel  through  their  churches  to 
thousands,  bringing  hundreds  into  fellowship 
with  God  and  doing  much  in  a  Christian  and  edu- 
cational way  to  lift  the  people  up  out  of  the  mud 
of  superstition,  ignorance  >and  vice. 

At  this  time  the  Liberty  Hill  Association  fos- 
ters the  Allengreen  Normal  and  Industrial  Insti- 
tute valued  at  $3,000.  Under  the  leadership  of 
Elder  Brown  these  laborers  in  the  Lord's  vine- 
yard have  done  and  are  doing  an  abiding  work. 
The  following  brethren  constitute  the  present 
staff  of  officers  and  Executive  Board :  Bishop  D. 
M.  Brown,    D.  D.,    Moderator;    Bishop    P.    B. 


66      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Lewis,  Vice  Moderator;  Bishop  L.  W.  Fuller,  D. 
D.,  Recording  Secretary;  Bishop  A.  L.  Adams, 
Corresponding  Secretary;  Elder  G.  B.  Washing- 
ton, District  Missionary;  Deacon  G.  S.  May, 
Treasurer;  Bishops  F.  W.  Winbush,  S.  M.  Man- 
nings and  C.  L.  Woods. 

woman's  home  mission  society  auxiliary  to 
liberty  hill  association. 

The  aim  and  object  of  this  organization  is  to 
inculcate  in  its  members  the  true  spirit  of  mis- 
sions, to  aid  and  assist  worthy  young  women  in 
becoming  trained  missionaries. 

The  object  of  these  women  is  indeed  noble. 
Up  to  this  time  they  have  done  a  deal  of  work, 
and  under  the  leadership  of  Sister  Brown  and  her 
able  staff  of  officers  they  are  destined  to  do  un- 
told good. 

Officers:  Sister  L.  R.  Brown,  President;  Sister 
Mary  J.  Lewis,  Recording  Secretary ;  Sister  Sadie 
Hollis,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Sister  Katie 
Peevy,  Treasurer;  Sisters  Nellie  May  and  Eva 
Derrett,  First  District  Missionaries;  Sister  Re- 
gina  Dorson,  Second  District  Missionary,  and 
Sister  M.  Sanders,  Third  District  Missionary. 


GUM  SPRING  ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  town  of  Farmersville,  1872,  the  Gum 
Spring  Association  was  brought  into  existence 
by  the  following  Bishops:  W.  Gray,  P.  Shepherd, 
Ezekiel  L.  Jones,  C,  Morse,  G.  W.  Jackson,  W. 
G.  Head,  J.  D.  Dunn,  N.  T.  Abbott  and  others. 

This  pioneer  body  was  organized  with  twenty- 
five  churches.  Today  it  more  than  doubles  this 
number,  and  from  time  to  time  new  churches  are 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  m  America.       67 

being  added  to  its  membership.  The  present 
membership  is  5,642.  This  organization  has  ac- 
complished, perhaps,  much  more  than  it  knows. 
I  speak  with  special  reference  to  the  fathers, 
who  took  no  note  of  their  labors,  but  worked 
steadily  on,  doing  in  the  Lord's  name  what  their 
hands  found  to  do.  Too  much  cannot  be  said 
honoring  these  veterans.  Their  day  was  dark  and 
full  of  inconveniences.  They  had  no  V.  S.  and 
P.  R.  R. ;  and  no  Rock  Island  R.  R.  to  help  them 
on  their  way.  When  too  poor  to  go  on  horse  or 
mule-back,  or  by  way  of  buggy  or  wagon,  they 
went  forth  on  foot  with  the  torchlight  of  Gospel 
truth,  walking  miles  to  preach  in  some  old  gin 
house,  barn  or  log  cabin  with  dirt  floor.  By  so  do- 
ing they  made  it  possible  for  the  present  day  min- 
ister to  preach  the  Word  in  brick  and  stone  build- 
ings with  their  pulpits  not  on  dirt  floors,  but  on 
tongue-glued  floors  and  Brussels  carpets. 
THREE  CHEERS!  Not  only  for  the  pioneers 
of  Louisiana,  but  for  the  world.  So  vigorously 
and  persistently  did  they  push  this  propaganda 
that  within  a  few  short  years  after  the  white 
Baptists  had  turned  them  loose  to  stand  or  fall, 
they  had  nearly  all  of  the  parishes  of  Louisiana 
dotted  with  churches. 

Most  of  the  fathers  have  crossed  the  river,  but 
their  sons  in  the  Gospel  are  on  the  scene,  carry- 
ing on  the  well-begun  work.  This  band  of 
Christian  workers  has  not  only  organized 
churches  and  preached  the  Word,  but  they  have 
and  are  now  moving  things  educationally.  They 
own  and  operate  the  Ruston  Colored  Normal, 
valued  at  $3,000.  This  school  is  ably  principaled 
by  Prof.  I.  S.  Powell,  B.  A.,  one  of  the  most 
scholarly  Christian  teachers  in  the  .state.  He 
has  accomplished  much  for  God     and  his    race. 


ELDER  F.  J.   DAVIDSON,  A.   M.,   D.   D. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        69 

The  Moderators  of  the  Association  since  its  or- 
ganization are  as  follows:  Elders  W.  Gray, 
Ezekiel  Jones,  Prince  Jones,  W.  G.  Head,  J.  D. 
Whalley,  F.  T.  Delley  and  the  present  Moderator, 
Bishop  Albert  Henry. 

Secretaries  as  follows:  Elders  W.  G.  Head,  T. 
J.  Brown,  J.  M.  Dade,  Prof.  S.  S.  Gray  and  J.  F. 
Rhone.  Bishop  Head  was  the  first  Secretary  and 
served  with  credit  to  himself  and  his  denomina- 
tion for  years.  The  value  of  this  Association's 
church  and  school  property  is  estimated  at 
$55,285. 


CALVARY  ASSOCIATION. 

This  body  was  organized  in  1872  at  Rocky 
Mount,  La.,  Bossier  Parish.  The  first  Modera- 
tor was  Elder  A.  Windham  (white),  who  •  did 
much  in  organizing  and  assisting  the  ex-slaves 
religiously.  The  next  Moderator  was  Bishop 
Charles  Jones;  the  third,  Elder  F.  J.  Cook; 
fourth,  Bishop  H.  C.  Dickerson,  and  the  fifth 
Moderator  (1911)  is  Elder  L.  Ford. 

These  early  laborers  began  this  work  with  a 
very  few  members  in  the  early  seventies ;  to-day, 
they  number  more  than  3,000.  Interest  in  the 
educational  uplift  of  their  people  is  evidenced  by 
their  High  School,  which  was  organized  in  1907 
by  Elders  S.  H.  Ralph,  L.  Ford,  S.  W.  Jackson, 
Z.  Flenouy,  W.  H.  Hall,  I.  S.  Mitchell,  Jr.,  Bishop 
Ralph  worked  hard  and  wrought  well  as  princi- 
pal of  this  school.  It  is  valued  at  $1,000  and 
has  an  annual  enrollment  of  150.  It  is  destined 
to  do  much  good  in  this  part  of.  the  state.  In 
fact,  Calvary  Association,  under  'the  leadership 
of  Bishops  L.  Ford,  F.  J.  Cook,     S.     H.     Ralph, 


70       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Jesse  Byrd,  James  Moore,  Mitchell  and  others, 
has  done  and  is  doing-  much  in  this  part  of  the 
moral  vineyard  to  dispell  the  darkness  of  ignor- 
ance, superstition  and  vice. 

Bishop  Ralph  was  among  the  first  or  the  first 
Negro  Baptist  newspaper  man  in  North  Louisi- 
ana, his  first  paper  being  about  the  size  of  a  let- 
ter. Elder  Jesse  Byrd,  although  working  prin- 
cipally in  the  bounds  of  the  Thirteenth  District 
Association,  weilded  much  influence  for  good  in 
this  body  also.     He  is  often  called  "Father  Byrd." 


NORTHWEST  ASSOCIATION  NO.  2. 

Among  the  Baptist  state  organizations,  none 
labors  harder  for  the  religious  and  educational 
uplift  of  the  people  than  the  Northwest  No.  2. 
It  is  among  the  oldest  associations  in  the  state, 
and  was  organized  in  the  year  1873  by  the  fol- 
lowing brethren :  Bishops  Thomas  B.  Smith, 
Henry  Jackson,  Joseph  Satterwhite,  Carolina 
Fuller,  Rial  Wickwire,  S.  Presley  and  Brother 
Henrv  Farris.  Bishops  that  have  served  this 
body  are  T.  B.  Smith,  R.  B.  Gant  and  J.  J.  Fuller. 
Bros.  Smith  and  Gant  have  served  acceptably 
and  with  credit  to  themselves  and  denomination, 
and  gone  to  their  reward.  Elder  Fuller  is  at 
present  the  Moses  of  this  band  of  Christian  work- 
ers. What  he  may  lack  "in  the  letter"  is  more 
than  made  up  "in  the  Spirit,  in  moral  power  and 
in  executive  ability."  At  the  time  of  its  organi- 
zation this  association  had  but  few  churches;  to- 
day it  has  56  splendid  bodies  of  baptized  believers 
with  a  membership  of  4,000. 

Besides  this  marvelous  spiritual  growth,  the 
organization's  educational  growth  has  been  phe- 
nominal.     Moderator     Fuller    has     backed     and 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  in  America.      71 

stood  by  Professor  J.  H.  Whaley,  in  matters  edu- 
cational, "to  the  last  ditch,"  consequently  the 
District  School  has  grown  from  almost  nothing 
just  a  few  years  ago,  under  Professor  Whaley, 
to  one  of  the  leading  District  Schools  in  the 
state.  See  more  about  this  and  other  of  our 
schools  elsewhere  in  this  volume. 

Association  secretaries  that  have  served  fol- 
lows: Bishops  B.  F.  Edwards,  J.  M.  Carter,  H.  L. 
Davis,  W.  B.  Purvis  and  William  Caldwell.  The 
Mansfield  Colored  High  School  at  Mansfield  is 
owned  by  this  body.  The  valuation  of  the  Dis- 
trict's property  is  not  less  than  $5,000.  With 
Moderator  Fuller  at  the  head,  it  is  safe  to  predict 
that  this  good  work  will  go  on.  Officers:  Bishop 
J.  J.  Fuller,  Moderator;  Bishop  R.  B.  Sloan,  Vice 
Moderator;  Elder  B.  F.  Edwards,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; Bishop  W.  B.  Purvis,  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary; Brother  H.  H.  Farris,  Treasurer,  and 
Prof.  J.  M.  Peace,  Auditor. 


NEW  HOPE  ASSOCIATION. 

In  the  year  1873  at  New  Hope  Baptist  Church, 
Jackson  Parish,  La.,  there  came  into  existence 
the  New  Hope  Association.  It  was  organized  by 
the  following  Bishops:  I.  S.  Flournoy,  Modera- 
tor; Ezekiel  Jones,  Will  Gray,  W.  G.  Jackson  and 
other  brethren.  They  began  with  eight  churches. 
Now  (1913)  the  younger  brethren  who  are  in 
charge  of  the  work  are  thanking  God  for  twenty- 
four  or  more  of  the  best  churches  in  the  state. 

These  brethren  have  taught  and  preached. 
Their  work  of  teaching  goes  on  in  the  Chatham 
District  School  which  is  owned  and  operated  by 
them.     The  valuation  of  this  school  is  $1,000. 

In  addition  to  this  work  within  their  own  borr 


72       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists' 

ders  they  contribute  to  representatives  of  Cole- 
man College,  Ruston  Normal  Institute  and  others 
who  may  appeal  to  them  during  their  sessions. 
The  following  Bishops  have  presided  over  this 
body  since  its  organization:  I.  S.  Flenouy,  H.  P. 
Pierce,  Elbert  Scott,  Stephen  Jackson  and  C.  B. 
Collins.  Brother  Collins,  the  present  Moderator, 
is  leading  the  host  on  to  victor}. 

Staff  of  officers  (1911)  follows:  Bishop  C.  B. 
Collins,  Moderator;  Bishop  A.  B.  Harris,  Vice 
Moderator;  Professor  William  McDonald,  Re- 
cording Secretary;  Brother  L.  J.  Nelson,  Record- 
ing Secretary;  Brother  H.  N.  McCarty,  Treas- 
urer, and  Elder  J.  W.  Cassy,  District  Missionary. 


UNION  MOUNT  OLIVE  ASSOCIATION. 

In  1900  this  body  of  Christian  workers  was 
born  in  Ascension  Parish,  La.  The  following 
Elders  took  part  in  the  organization:  A.  Steven- 
son, H.  C.  Johnson,  James  Roberson,  M.  P.  Vin- 
cent, F.  Coleman,  F.  Willis  and  others.  This 
body  began  with  a  small  number  of  churches — > 
only  twelve,  but  today  their  number  is  doubled 
and  they  are  pressing  on,  covering  more  terri- 
tory, organizing  more  churches  and  planting  the 
blood-stained  banner  wherever  opportunity  per- 
mits. 

In  addition  to  the  religious  work  that  they  have 
done  and  are  doing,  this  association  shows  its 
loyalty  to  that  part  of  the  Great  Commission 
which  makes  it  binding  "to  teach"  by  fostering 
Leland  Academy  at  Donaldsonville,  La.  This  is 
one  of  our  District  Schools  which  has  accom- 
plished much,  being  valued  at  $6,000. 

Bishops  Stevenson,  Johnson,  Roberson  and 
their  followers  are  pushing  steadily  on  in  the 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        73 

matter  of  educating  an.d  Christianizing  the  peo- 
ple, in  this  part  of  the  state.  They  are  going  on 
with  the  Gospel  propaganda  and  are  "making 
disciples." 

Association  officers  are  (1910)  as  follows: 
Bishop  A.  Stevenson,  Moderator;  Elder  F.  Wil- 
liams, Vice  Moderator;  Brother  Hy  Henderson, 
Corresponding  Secretary;  Brother  G.  H.  Hill, 
Corresponding  Secretary;  Bishop  F.  Coleman, 
Treasurer,  and  Bishop  James  Bruley,  District 
Missionary.  Board  Members:  Elders  J.  J.  Jen- 
kins, Thomas  Brown,  F.  Burnett,  H.  Williams, 
H.  White,  E.  D.  Reditt,  H.  Butler,  R.  W.  Allison, 
Wm.  Davis  and  Brother  D.  C.  Nelson. 


SPRINGVILLE  MISSIONARY  AND  EDUCA- 
TIONAL ASSOCIATION. 

This  organization  is  among  the  youngest,  but 
it  is  one  of  the  most  influential  for  good  in  the 
state.  In  point  of  numbers  it  is  small;  but  in 
point  of  actual,  tangible  and  constructive  mis- 
sionary and  educational  work,  it  is  THERE  with 
the  largest  association  in  the  state.  When  the 
Apostle  of  Education  of  North  Louisiana,  Prof. 
0.  L.  Coleman  comes  before  it  with  an  educa- 
tional appeal,  it  is  an  ordinary  thing  for  the  mes- 
sengers to  give  from  $40  to  $50'  with  additional 
contributions  during  the  associational  year,  and 
when  the  Foreign  Missionary  comes  and  tells 
them  about  dark  Africa,  they  count  $25  or  more 
for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  across  the  wa- 
ters. In  addition  to  this  the  churches  send  to 
Dr.  Jordan  foreign  mission  money  during  the 
year.  Bishop  J.  D.  Stewart,  A.  B.,  Moderator  of 
this  body,  is  one  of  the  most  liberal  foreign  mis- 
sion contributors  in  the  United  States. 


EiLDER  A.   H.   SAMUELS. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  in  America.       75 

This  association  is  a  child  of  the  Northwest 
No.  1.  It  was  organized  November  7th,  1907,  at 
Springville  Baptist  Church,  Gibsland,  La.,  after 
the  above  mentioned  association  had  granted  sev- 
eral of  her  churches  letters  of  dismission  to  af- 
fect a  new  organization.  The  mother  associa- 
tion granted  these  letters  in  peace,  being  im- 
pressed that  said  churches  would  do  better  and 
more  affective  work. 

Meeting  to  organize  was  called  to  order  s  on 
above  mentioned  date  at  10  a.  m.  Devotiorials 
were  led  by  Elder  R.  Booker.  After  a  part  of 
the  8th  chapter  of  2nd  Corinthians  was  read, 
prayer  was  offered  by  Brother  E.  D.  Johnson. 
Appropriate  words  of  welcome  were  then  deliv- 
ered by  the  pastor,  Bishop  J.  D.  Stewart,  which 
were  aptly  responded  to  by  Bishop  T.  H.  Mc- 
Donald. The  association  was  then  organized  by 
Bishops  J.  D.  Stewart,  T.  H.  McDonald,  A.  B. 
Amons,  W.  L.  Gibson,  Wm.  Hicks  and  others. 
The  following  officers  were  elected:  Bishop  J.  D. 
Stewart,  Moderator:  Brother  T.  M.  Egan,  Vice 
Moderator;  Brother  B.  G.  Hewitt,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; Bishop  T.  H.  McDonald,  Corresponding 
Secretary,  and  Brother  H.  H.  Henson,  Treasurer. 

The  following  brethren  were  elected  to  consti- 
tute the  Executive  Board  in  connection  with  the 
officers:  W:  L:  Gibson,  W.  L.  Lewis,  B.  A.  Amons 
and  G.  W.  Smith.  In  this  first  meeting  alter  an 
able  introductory  sermon,  preached  by  Bishop  W. 
L.  Gibson,  the  brethren  gave  so  liberally  that 
Bishop  Wm.  Hicks  easily  lifted  a  collection  of 
$26.  Total  raised  in  this  initial  session  was 
$159.80.  The  baptizing  that  this  first  session  of 
the  association  received  at  the  hand  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  will  be  long  remembered  and  never  forgot- 
ten.    This  body  of  Christian  workers  is  destined 


76      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

to  do  much  good  under  God  and  their    tireless 
leader,  Bishop  J.  D.  Stewart,  A.  B. 


-  LOUISIANA  FREEDMEN'S  ASSOCIATION. 

This  is  one  of  the  oldest  Christian  organiza- 
tions in  the  state.  It  was  constituted  in  the  city 
of  New  Orleans  in  1869  by  Elder  Thos.  Peterson, 
its  founder,  and  others.  It  was  incorporated.  June 
16th,  1880.  These  veterans  organized  it  with 
only  seven  churches,  but  at  this  writing,  Modera- 
tor Brown  and  his  followers  praise  God  for  sixty 
churches.  Not  only  have  they  won  stars  for 
their  crowns  by  doing  church  work,  but  by  main- 
taining and  supporting  an  Old  Folks  Home  in 
which  they  have  cared  for  scores  of  our  old 
mothers.  No  race  will  live  long  that  neglects 
its  old  and  its  young  people.  This  Association, 
like  the  First  District  and  a  few  others,  is  nobly 
living  up  to  that  phase  of  Christian  religion 
which  makes  it  BINDING  to  "visit  the  fatherless 
and  widows  in  their  affliction."  Their  asylum 
for  the  old  people  is  a  nice,  large,  commodious 
building  valued  at  $5,000.  It  has  a  campus  com- 
prising 19  lots  with  a  value  of  $10,000,  making 
a  total  valuation  of  $15,000. 

The  association's  present  membership  is  3,000, 
and  under  the  undaunted  leadership  of  Modera- 
tor Brown  this  .number  will  grow  numerically, 
morally  and  spiritually.  Bishop  Brown  is  com- 
paratively young  in  the  work,  but  under  God  he 
has  more  than  made  good,  and  with  his  able  staff 
of  officers  promises  to  do  much  more  by  way  of 
bettering  conditions  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans. 

The  Association's  first  Executive  Board  was 
as    follows:     Elders       Tom    Peterson,     Charles 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        11 

Brooks,  T.  B.  Evans,  Palmer    Elkins,     Thomas 
Jones,  Brothers  Joseph  Kion  and  Wm.  Kelley. 

The  present  1912  corps  of  officers  and  Execu- 
tive Board  follows:  Bishop  E.  L.  Brown,  Modera- 
tor; Bishop  N.  Melrow,  Vice  Moderator;  Bishop 
A.  Guilliott,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Bishop  E. 
N.  Webb,  Recording  Secretary;  Bishop  B.  J. 
Stewart,  Statistical  Secretary,  and  Bishop  R.  W. 
Williams,  Treasurer.  Board  Members:  Brothers 
G.  S.  King,  Wm.  Brown,  Robert  Rush,  James 
Roberson,  Arthur  James  R.  Carter,  J.  Thomas, 
C.  V.  Thomas,  E.  Scott,  E,  Washington,  D.  D. 
Marcell,  C.  Barber,  Robert  Riley  and  Sister 
Mamie  Willis. 


LOUISIANA  BAPTIST  STATE  CONVEN- 
TION. 

The  wonderful  growth  of  the  few  associations 
which  were  at  work  in  the  state  in  the  early  seven- 
ties, and  a  desire  among  the  brethren  to  more 
closely  associate  themselves  in  the  work  through- 
out the  state,  brought  about  the  organization  of 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention. 

The  Louisiana  Southern  Baptist  Association, 
in  session  at  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  February,  1872, 
passed  a  resolution  inviting  the  other  associa- 
tions and  churches  to  send  delegates  to  meet  in 
joint  session  at  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church, 
New  Orleans,  La.,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  State  Convention.  This  call  was  hailed  with 
joy  all  over  the  state,  and  on  the  appointed  date, 
the  brethren  came  from  the  north,  east  and  west 
and  accomplished  the  great  work.  It  appears 
that  a  pioneer  preacher  by  the  name  of  Madison 
Allen  was  the  first  president;  then  came  the  fol- 


78      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

lowing  brethren :  Elder  Henry  White,  Hon.  C.  F. 
Ladd,  Bishops  John  Marks,  A.  S.  Jackson,  A.  M. 
Newman,  A.  R.  Blunt,  J.  B.  Livingston,  H.  C. 
Cotton,  J.  L.  Burrell  A.  B.  Flood  and  W.  M.  Tay- 
lor. 

Bishop  Taylor  is  President  at  this  time  (1914). 
Since  the  organization  was  affected,  this  body 
has  done  much  by  way  of  stimulating  the  broth- 
erhood and  encouraging  the  work  in  every  nook 
and  corner  of  the  state.  As  early  as  1883,  signs 
of  immense  moral  and  intellectual  progress  were 
apparent.  There  were  500  churches  connected 
with  the  Convention ;  70,000  members,  650  min- 
isters and  350  Sunday-schools.  The  officers  of 
the  Convention  at  this  time  were :  Bishop  John 
Mark,  President;  Bishop  A.  S.  Jackson,  Record- 
ing Secretary;  Bishop  S.  T.  Clanton,  Correspond- 
ing Secretary,  and  Bishop  Ambrose  Hubbs, 
Treasurer.  Officers  of  State  Sunday-School  Con- 
vention follow:  Bishop  C.  J.  Hardy,  President;. 
Bishop  A.  L.  Reese,  Vice  President;  Bishop  S.  T. 
Clanton,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Bishop  H.  K. 
Barrett,  Recording  Secretary,  and  Bishop  B. 
Dorsey,  Treasurer.  Other  organizations  through- 
out the  state  were  alive,  and  the  influence  of  the 
Convention  for  good  was  felt  everywhere.  The 
organization  of  this  body  had  supplied  a  long- 
felt  want.  The  pioneer  fathers  at  this  time  were 
on  the  scene,  but  were  gradually  turning  the  reins 
over  to  the  younger  brethren. 

In  this  same  year  (1883)  the  Convention  di- 
vided the  state  into  thirteen  district  associations 
(Bishop  J.  M.  Carter  made  the  motion),  making 
16  in  all  (including  three  associations  previous- 
y  organized).  The  brethren  throughout  the 
state  entered  vigorously  upon  the  work  of  de- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginning  in  America.      79 

veloping  these  districts,  which  work  they  have 
prosecuted  admirably  well.  Forty-one  years 
have  gone  by  since  the  fathers  started  this  work 
and  many  of  them,  Bishops  Newman,  Blunt  Walk- 
er, Hamilton,  Ladd,  Dorsey,  Flemings,  Cotton, 
Flood  and  scores  of  others,  have  answered  the  roll 
call,  but  their  well-begun  work  goes  on.  Their 
labors  have  borne  fruit  which  has  become  ripe 
all  over  the  state  to  the  glory  and  honor  of  God. 
"Right  blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth :  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that 
they  may  rest  from  their  labors ;  and  their  works 
do  follow  them." 

The  work  of  these  great  men  and  the  labors  of 
those  who  have  followed  them  are  expressed  in 
terms  of  churches,  Old  Folks  Homes  and  schools 
all  over  Louisiana.  They  planted  no  cotton  and 
corn,  raised  no  large  crops,  but  they  planted 
churches  and  Christian  schools  and  raised  men. 
We  have  a  splendid  crop  of  men  in  the  state  to- 
day due  to  seed  planted  by  the  hand  of  "the 
fathers"  forty  years  ago. 

The  Convention  is  proud  of  the  fourteen  or 
fifteen  hundred  churches  with  a  membership  of 
135,000 ;  two  or  three  old  folks  homes ;  the  eight- 
een or  twenty  District  Schools,  and  the  present- 
day  opportunity  to  do  greater  work. 

Convention  Officers    (1909)  :  President,  Elder 

A.  B.  Flood ;  Vice  President,  Bishop  W.  M.  Tay- 
lor; Recording  Secretary,  Prof.  D.  F.  Ross,  A. 
M.,  LL.  B.;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Bishop  W. 

B.  Purvis;  Assistant  Secretary,  Elder  G.  W. 
Head;  Treasurer,  Elder  T.  L.  Welch. 

Missionaries-Superintendent  of  Missions,  Dr. 
H.  B.  N.  Brown,  Elder  J.  M.  Carter,  Elder  J.  W. 
Williard  and  Elder  Luke  Allen,  Sr. 


BISHOP   PHILLIP    BERRYMAN    LEWIS. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        81 


Vice  Presidents:  First,  Bishop  E.  D.  Sims; 
Second,  Elder  A.  Stephenson;  fourth,  Elder  A. 
L.  Ash;  fifth,  Elder  C.  D.  Reese;  sixth,  Bishop 
A.  Horton;  seventh,  Elder  Au  W.  Renty;  Educa- 
tional seventh,  Bishop  C.  J.  W.  Boyd,  Sr. ;  eighth, 
Elder  H.  J.  Williams;  S.  E.  eighth,  Elder  S.  R. 
Franklin;  tenth,  Elder  H.  Y.  Florence;.  Elders: 
L.  Hill,  P.  B.  Lewis,  Wm.  Wyatt,  Luke  Allen, 
Jr.,  F.  J.  Cook,  R.  B.  Sloan,  C.  W.  White,  R.  J. 
Dunlap. 

State  Board:  First  District,  Dr.  J.  L.  Burrell; 
Second  District,  Elder  J.  Roberson;  Fourth  Dis- 
'  trict,  Bishop  W.  M.  Taylor ;  Fifth  District,  El- 
der H.  C.  Cotton;  Sixth  District,  Elder  J.  B. 
Livingston;  Seventh  District,  Bishop  L.  C. 
Simon;  Educational  Eighth,  Bishop  C.  J.  W. 
Boyd;  Eighth  District,  Elder  R.  Cleveland;  S.  E. 
Eighth  District,  J.  W.  White;  Tenth  District, 
Bishop  T.  S.  Washington;  Gum  Spring,  Bishop 
A.  Henry;  Liberty  Hill,  Bishop  L.  W.  Fuller; 
New  Hope,  Bishop  B.  C.  Collins;  Twelfth  Dis- 
trict, Elder  C.  S.  Satterwhite;  Thirteenth  Dis- 
trict, Elder  J.  M.  Carter;  Calvary  Association, 
Bishop  B.  Moore;  Union  County  Association, 
Elder  W.  B.  Willis;  North  Louisiana  Association, 
Elder  C.  W.  White. 

Recently,  Elders  Flood  and  Cotton  have  been 
called  to  their  home  in  Heaven.  Bishop  W.  M. 
Taylor  is  now  (1914)  President  of  the  Conven- 
tion. 


THE   WOMAN'S   BAPTIST  STATE 
CONVENTION. 

For  twenty-two  years  after  the  brethren  be- 
gan organic  work,  the  sisterhood  of  the  state  was 
doing  unorganized  mission  work    as  best    they 


82      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

could  until  Bishops  H.  C.  Cotton,  William  Hamil- 
ton, H.  B.  N.  Brown,  Israel  Thomas,  L.  C.  Simon, 
John  Marks,  A.  S.  Jackson,  J.  M.  Carter  and  S. 
T.  Clanton  called  them  together  and  organized 
them  into  "The  Woman's  Baptist  State  Conven- 
tion of  Louisiana,"  with  Mrs.  Alice  Staff  as 
President,  in  1887. 

The  following  Presidents  came  after:  Sister 
Rosa  Cotton,  Sister  Sarah  A.  Gates,  Sister  A.  L. 
Windham,  Sister  N.  L.  West  and  Sister  L.  D. 
Pruit,  who  at  this  time  is  the  efficient  leader  of 
Louisiana  Baptist  women. 

All  the  good  accomplished  by  these  sisters  will 
never  be  penned.  Many  of  their  noble  deeds  are 
unwritten,  and  the  writer  is  unable  to  record 
them  here,  but  there  is  a  Historian  ON  HIGH 
who  has  jotted  the  proceedings  of  all  their  meet- 
ings, and  who  will  read  them  on  Judgment  Day 
to  the  teeming  millions  of  "the  great  and  the 
small." 

After  much  good  had  been  accomplished,  it 
seemed  that  the  work  lagged  and  became  practi- 
cally disorganized,  but  in  September,  1896, 
Bishops  L.  G.  Jordan,  J.  M.  Carter,  Israel 
Thomas  and  A.  J.  Horton  encouraged  and  reor- 
ganized the  sisters.  Sister  N.  L.  West  was  elect- 
ed President  and  the  Convention  "set  sail"  again. 
From  1896  to  the  present  day  they  have  come, 
scattering  sunshine  along  their  pathway  and  into 
many  darkened  homes.  With  the  Joanna  P. 
Moore  spirit  they  are  making  glad  and  encourag- 
ing the  hearts  of  many  mothers. 

The  present  wide-awake  President  is  Sister 
Loretta  Dunn  Pruitt.  She  and  her  co-workers 
"are  doing  things."  In  addition  to  their  already 
well-done  work,  they  are  pressing  forward,  and 
are  making  splendid  headway  in  founding  a  State 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        83 

Female  Seminary,  which  is  to  be  known  as  "The 
Joanna  P.  Moore's  State  Female  Seminary."  Con- 
vention Officers:  Sister  L.  D.  Pruitt,  President; 
Sister  N.  L.  West,  Vice  President;  Sister  M.  A. 
Cook,  Recording-  Secretary;  Sister  Winnie  Am- 
bler, Corresponding  Secretary;  Sister  R.  D.  Wat- 
kins,  Treasurer,  and  Sister  Jane  P.  Harden, 
State  Missionary. 


FRIENDSHIP  MISSIONARY  AND  EDUCA- 
TIONAL ASSOCIATION. 

This  is  perhaps  one  of  the  youngest  associa- 
tions in  the  state.  It  is  doing  missionary  and 
educational  work  in  and  around  Homer,  La. 
Having  been  very  recently  set  up  much  cannot 
be  said  of  its  accomplishments.  Under  the  lead- 
ership, however,  of  Bishop  Roy  A.  Mayfield  and 
others  it  is  destined  to  do  much  good. 

This  association  was  organized  by  the  follow- 
ing brethren:  Bishops  Wm.  Garrett,  J.  M.  Har- 
vey, R.  A.  Mayfield,  Brothers  J.  W.  Oliver,  T.  B. 
Dozier  and  others. 

Present  staff  of  officers  follows:  Elder  Wm. 
Garrett,  Moderator;  Elder  J.  M.  Harvey,  Vice 
Moderator;  Elder  R.  A.  Mayfield,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; G.  W.  Adams,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
W.  Scott,  Treasurer. 


NEW  LINE  NORTH  NO  5  BAPTIST 
ASSOCIATION. 

We  learn  from  an  article  in  the  News  Enter- 
prise, dated  October  3,  1914,  that  a  "New  Asso- 
ciation at  Preston,  La.,"  had  been  organized.  We 
pray  for  these  brethren  unlimited  success  in  the 


84       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

vineyard  of  the  Lord.  Officers:  Bishop  M.  Ray, 
Moderator;  Elder  L.  L.  Gastin,  Vice  Moderator; 
Brother  E.  J.  C.  Allen,  Recording  Secretary; 
Brother  W.  H.  Green,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
Brother  Henry  Demery,  Treasurer,  and  Brothers 
J.  Nash  and  B.  J.  Johnson,  Board  Members. 
Bishop  W,  L.  Hobley,  Missionary. 

Women's  District  Home  Mission  Association 
Officers:  Sister  Ellen  Hobley,  President;  Sister 
Josephine  Demery,  Vice  President;  Sister  Siller 
Williams,  Recording  Secretary;  Sister  Henrietta 
Ray,  Treasurer,  and  Sister  Charlotte  Russell, 
Board  member. 


BIOGRAPHIES. 

T.  A.  WALKER,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  NOTED  PHYSICIAN  AND 
ORATOR. 

The  gentleman  of  whom  we  now  write  was 
born  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans  in  the  year  1864. 
His  parents  were  the  revered  and  very  popular 
minister,  George  W.  Walker,  pastor  Austerlitz 
Street  Baptist  Church,  New  Orleans,  and  Mrs. 
Martha  Jane  Walker.  At  the  fireside,  listening 
to  the  reading  of  God's  word  by  his  sainted 
mother,  he  was  imbued  with  higher  ideals  of  life, 
and  with  a  burning  desire  to  give  himself  to  th3 
service  of  God  and  humanity.  His  mother  and 
father  having  learned  how  to  read  through  the 
generosity  of  their  young  master  and  mistress, 
encouraged  him  to  go  to  school  and  prepare  to 
battle  with  the  stern  realities  of  life. 

Acting  upon  their  advice  he  began  laying  deep 
and  broad,  the  foundation  of  a  thorough  educa- 
tion by  making  good  in  the  public     schools    of 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        85 

New  Orleans.  After  receiving-  a  pretty  fair  com- 
mon school  education,  he  entered  Leland  Uni- 
versity, and  by  assiduous  attention  and  studious 
application  he  completed  the  college  course  in  six 
years,  receiving  the  B.  A.  degree  at  the  early  age 
of  17.  He  is  among  the  first  classical  graduates 
of  our  race.  After  his  graduation,  there  ap- 
peared on  the  scene  a  benefactor  in  the  person  of 
the  Hon.  T.  B.  Stamps,  a  cotton  factor  who  of- 
fered young  Walker  a  position  as  cotton  clerk 
in  his  office  on  Carondelet  street,  near  Poydras. 
He  remained  in  this  position  until  Mr.  Stamps 
failed  financially. 

Early  in  life  he  was  converted  and  baptized 
into  the  membership  of  the  Austerlitz  Street 
Baptist  Church  by  his  father,  and  at  once  became 
an  active  church  worker,  identifying  himself 
with  the  Sunday-school  and  other  church 
auxiliaries.  Unlike  most  college  men  he  attend- 
ed regularly  the  prayer  meetings  and  the  Satur- 
day night  Bible  Class,  conducted  by  Sister  J.  P. 
Moore. 

After  finishing  his  course  at  Leland,  becoming 
converted,  beginning  work  as  office  clerk  and 
teacher,  he  began  to  consider  what  should  be 
his  life  work.  Inspired  by  his  Professor  in 
Latin  at  Leland,  and  encouraged  by  one  of  the 
ablest  physicians  of  New  Orleans,  Dr.  E.  T. 
Shepherd,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  at 
Leonard  Medical  College,  Raleigh,  N.  C.  Being 
studious  and  industrious  he  could  be  seen  on 
Saturdays  and  at  other  spare  times  sawing  wood 
on  the  campus  of  Shaw  University.  Here  he 
solved  many  knotty  medical  problems  and  stood 
at  the  head  of  his  class  in  Chemistry.  After 
studying  two  years  at  Shaw  and  passing  a  rigid 
examination,  he  entered  Meharry  Medical     Col- 


ELDER  JACKSON  J.  FULLER. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        87 


lege,  Nashville,  Term.,  October,  1884,  taking  up 
the  senior  studies  and  graduating  at  the  head  of 
his  class  in  Gynecology,  February  26th,  1885. 

Returning  to  New  Orleans  he  began  practicing 
medicine.  Soon  afterwards  he  married  Miss 
Fannie  Elliott,  of  New  Orleans,  who  has  stood 
faithfully  by  him,  serving  as  a  source  of  comfort, 
cheer  and  inspiration.  He  first  labored  at  Lake- 
land, La.,  away  "down  in  the  sticks,"  where  he 
-and  his  help-meet  first  began  life's  struggle.  Be- 
coming anxious  for  a  larger  field,  after  practic- 
ing here  successfully,  removed  to  Baton  Rouge, 
where  he  is  known  and  acknowledged  as  a  physi- 
cian skilled  in  minor  surgery  and  the  science  of 
Materia  Medica.  Dr.  Walker  has  shown  himself 
an  able  scholar  and  an  apt  teacher  by  his  thor- 
ough work  as  Professor  of  Gynecology  at  Flint 
Medical  College,  New  Orleans.  The  lectures  de- 
livered here  were  always  considered  both  scien- 
tific and  literary  treats. 

He  was  commissioner  from  Louisiana  to  the 
World's  Negro  Congress  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  in  the 
year  1902.  The  following  positions  have  also  been 
honorably  filled  by  him :  General  Superintendent 
Education  of  Fourth  District  Association;  Baton 
Rouge  College  physician  (blessing  many  suffer- 
ing students  with  his  healing  powers)  ;  Historian 
of  the  National  Medical  Association,  writing 
its  history  from  1895  to  1906,  and  reading  said 
history  at  the  Philadelphia  session,  1906;  and 
lie  has  been  elected  honorary  member  Mississippi 
Medical  and  Surgical  Association. 

As  a  writer,  he  has  written  and  delivered  many 
orations  on  the  Emancipation  of  his  race,  and 
other  subjects  which  have  been  looked  upon  as 
masterpieces  of  oratory  and  literary  gems.     His 


88       History  of  Uouisiana  Nsgro  Baptists. 

"Aftermath  of  the  Negro  Congress"  held  at  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  was  commented  on  by  Professor  I. 
Garland  Penn  to  be  the  best  he  had  seen  on  the 
subject,  and  Professor  M.  S.  Davage,  A.  M., 
said  it  was  the  best  he  had  heard  on  that  subject. 
His  History  of  National  Medical  Association 
was  published  far  and  wide  by  the  Odd  Fellows 
Journal,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  many  com- 
mendatory letters  were  sent  the  writer.  Presi- 
dent P.  A.  Johnson,  in  requesting  Dr.  Walker  to 
continue  the  writing  and  read  it  at  New  York,  re- 
ferred to  it  as  a  "Scholarly  Production." 

Though  one  of  the  busiest  medical  men  in  the 
state,  Dr.  Walker  has  never  been  too  much  en- 
grossed with  his  own  interests  to  divide  his  valu- 
able time  with  the  cause  of  Christian  education. 
He  has  taken  time  from  his  practice  and  collected 
from  white  friends  of  Negro  education  more 
money  for  Baton  Rouge  College  than  any  other 
man  that  has  gone  among  them.  This  alone 
shows  how  he  stands,  in  his  home  city.  The  Bap- 
tists of  the  state  are  justly  proud  of  him,  be- 
cause he  has  subordinated  and  consecrated  his 
giant  intellect  to  the  cause  of  Christ;  and  now 
(1914)  glories  in  the  fact  that  he  is  an  honored 
follower  of  the  Lowly  Nazarene.  He  and  his  ac- 
complished wife  live  happily  and  comfortably  in 
their  $4,000  home  on  Boulevard  Avenue,  Baton 
Rouge,  La.,  within  two  blocks  of  the  Executive 
Mansion,  enjoying  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
both  their  white  and  colored  friends. 

I.  J.  WASHINGTON,  M.  D.,  PHYSICIAN  AND  TEACHER. 

Tensas  Parish  has  never  produced  a  greater 
physician  and  teacher  than  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.     His  parents  were  Mr.  Daniel  and  Mrs. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        89 

Virginia     Washington.       Dr.  Washington     was 
born  on  a  farm  in  1865. 

On  reaching  school  age  he  found  himself  un- 
able to  enter  and  remain  in  school.  His  parents 
for  no  fault  of  their  own  were  without  means, 
but  they  had  blessed  him  by  homing  in  him  the 
spirit  of  honest  endeavor  which  enabled  him  by 
God's  help  to  fight  the  scholastic  battle  singly  and 
alone.  After  catching  up  what  he  could  here 
and  there,  he  entered  Coleman  College,  Gibsland, 
La.,  and  there  under  adverse  circumstances  sur- 
mounted every  difficulty  incident  to  the  strug- 
gling student's  school  life,  and  graduated  with 
honors  from  the  Normal  Course. 

After  being  happily  converted  he  was  baptized 
into  the  membership  of  the  Palestine  Baptist 
Church,  Gibsland,  La.,  by  Bishop  P.  P.  Mellon, 
B.  Th.,  in  1896.  Dr.  Washington  reached  a  de- 
cision as  to  his  life  work,  after  he  had  taught  a 
considerable  time  with  marked  success. 

He  chose  the  humane  work  of  healing  and  com- 
forting the  sick.  With  the  tenacity  of  the  noted 
physician,  James  Y.  Simpson,  who  discovered 
the  anaesthetical  properties  of  chloroform,  he 
seized  upon  the  almost  invisible  opportunity  to 
study  for  the  M.  D.  degree.  I  say  invisible  be- 
cause in  connection  with  paddling  his  own  canoe 
he  had  to  support  and  care  for  a  dependent 
mother.  This  he  did  by  the  Lord's  help  and 
graduated  at  the  head  of  a  class  of  Medicoes  at 
Flint  Medical  College,  New  Orleans,  La.,  1905. 

At  Lake  Charles,  La.,  Minden,  La.,  and  El 
Dorado,  Ark.,  he  has  proved  himself  by  his  cura- 
tive power  to  be  among  the  leading  practitioners 
of  his  race.  His  record  should  inspire  the  young 
man  who  reads  these  lines  with  increasing  desire 


90       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

to  become  a  doctor,  because  "what  man  has  done 
man  can  do." 

This  son  of  Hippocrates  (the  father  of  medicine) 
made  his  way  through  the  school  of  medicine  by 
working  at  saw  mills,  picking  cotton,  teaching 
school  and  railroading  during  vacations.  He  is 
today  climbing  the  medical  ladder  with  wonderful 
rapidity. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Scott,  of  Ar- 
cadia, La.,  by  the  writer*  His  wife  has  proved 
herself  a  help-meet  indeed.  At  this  writing  two 
children  have  blessed  their  union.  Dr.  Washing- 
ton's thorough  work  guarantees  for  him  future 
success. 

PROF.  R.  E.  JACOBS. 

Prof.  R.  E.  Jacobs,  the  oldest  son  of  Solomon 
and  Ellen  Jacobs,  was  born  at  Converse,  La., 
Sabine  Parish,  near  the  Sabine  River,  May  22, 
1877.  He  spent  his  early  days  on  his  father's 
farm.  Pie  attended  the  -common  public  school 
around  his  home  and  at  Stonewall,  La.,  where 
he  was  greatly  encouraged  by  his  uncle,  Jack 
Butler.  His  first  teacher  was  his  father,  S.  J. 
Jacobs.  After  finishing  some  of  the  common 
public  school  grades  his  father  encouraged  him 
to  go  to  college. 

January  1,  1897,  he  entered  Coleman  College, 
Gibsland,  La.  He  was  short  of  money  and  his 
father  was  not  able  to  help .  him  financially, 
therefore  he  made  arrangements  off  of  the  cam- 
pus, where  he  could  help  himself  by  working. 
Mr.  W.  F.  Hawk,  who  wTas  Prof.  Jacob's  land- 
lord when  he  first  entered  college,  and  Prof.  0. 
L.  Coleman,  the  President  of  the  school,  showed 
him  many  kind  favors  by  helping  him  through 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        91 

school.  He  graduated  in  1902  with  much  honor. 
He  desired  to  deliver  an  oration  on  commence- 
ment day,  but  the  President  and  faculty  appoint- 
ed him  class  valedictorian  because  of  his  high 
standing  in  school.  He  was  loved  by  his  teach- 
ers, admired  by  his  classmates  and  greatly  hon- 
ored by  the  students  below  him.  He  had  several 
positions  offered  him  when  he  graduated.  Among 
them  was  one  as  field  agent  for  his  Alma  Mater, 
and  he  accepted  this  position  the  next  day  after 
graduating.  He  traveled  seven  months  in  the 
states  of  Louisiana,  Arkansas  and  Texas  in  the 
interest  of  the  above-named  school.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  this  time,  the  President  was  in  need 
of  another  teacher  and  Prof.  Jacobs  was  called 
on  to  take  the  position  and  he  did  so. 

In  the  spring  of  1903  he  was  re-elected  one  of 
the  members  of  the  faculty  of  Coleman  College, 
but  resigned  to  go  to  his  old  home  to  accept  a 
position  his  father  desired  him  to  take.  Nov. 
2,  1903,  he  founded  the  Sabine  Normal  and  In- 
dustrial Institute,  Converse,  La.  This  position 
was  planned  by  his  father  before  Prof.  Jacobs 
entered  college. 

Jan.  28,  1904,  he  married  Miss  Mary  Lee,  a 
student  of  Coleman  College,  Gibsland,  La.  In 
1905  Prof.  Jacobs  took  a  special  course  in  the 
University  of  Chicago.  With  the  aid  of  Mrs. 
Jacobs,  a  few  trustees  and  friends,  Prof.  Jacobs 
has  erected  seven  good  buildings  on  the  campus 
of  the  Sabine  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute. 
The  value  of  the  property  in  1914,  including  land 
and  live  stock,  was  $30,000. 

Prof.  Jacobs  proved  himself  worthy  as  a 
scholar  when  a  public  school  teacher  by  making 
several  first  grade  certificates.  He  has  often 
been  appointed  by  his  county  Superintendent  as 


ELDER  AUDER  BACK  FLOOD. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        93 

member  of  the  examining  committee,  and  also 
appointed  in  the  city  of  Shreveport  to  do  the 
same  work.  The  white  people  with  whom  he  has 
dealings  respect  him  as  a  man  of  business  and 
he  is  often  called  on  by  the  white  school  authori- 
ties to  address  them  in  the  behalf  of  his  race. 

Prof.  Jacobs  succeeded  in  getting  the  Slater 
Fund,  the  Jeanes  Fund  and  his  county  school 
board  to  make  annual  appropriations  to  the  Sa- 
bine School. 

Facts  About  the  Sabine  Normal  and  Industrial 
Institute. 

Founded  No^.  2,  1903,  by  R.  E.  Jacobs.  It 
has  7  building*  Supported  by  the  Slater  Fund, 
Jeanes  Fund,  county  school  board,  school  farm 
and  private  subscription. 

Present  Faculty:  R.  E.  Jacobs,  President;  S. 
B.  Belton,  First  Assistant;  Miss  Flora  M.  Goode, 
Second  Assistant  and  Secretary;  E.  D.  Tyler, 
Third  Assistant  and  Business  Manager;  W.  M. 
Tyler,  Fourth  Assistant  and  Field  Agent;  Mrs.  M. 
L.  Jacobs,  Domestic  Science;  Miss  Lillie  Mae 
Baddie,  Music;  A.  J.  Jones,  Agriculture. 

Value  of  school  property,  including  land  and 
live  stock,  is  $30,000. 

PROF.  M.  L.  COLLINS,  ONE  OF  LOUISIANA'S  BEST 
TEACHERS. 

This  young  man,  Melvin  Lee  Collins,  son  of 
Mr.  Milton  and  Mrs.  Malissa  Collins,  began  life 
in  1882  at  Forbing,  La.  At  an  early  age  his 
parents  trained  him  to  go  to  church  and  Sunday- 
school,  so  that  on  reaching  the  years  of  accounta- 
bility his  heart  was  susceptible  to  the  gospel,  and 
when  it  was  preached  to  him  by  the  late  Bishop 


94       History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

0.  'C.  Jones,  it  took  root  and  he  was  happily  con- 
verted. Elder  Jones  baptized  him  into  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Pleasant  Hill  Baptist  Church, 
Forbing,  La. 

After  working-  many  years  on  his  father's 
farm  and  attending  the  Parish  schools  whenever 
opportunity  presented  itself  he,  through  the  aid 
of  devoted  parents,  entered  the  Thirteenth  Dis- 
trict Normal  and  Collegiate  Institute  under  the 
tutorship  of  the  writer  and  his  efficient  wife. 
Mrs.  Hicks  says  he  was  one  of  the  best  students 
she  ever  taught,  being  susceptible,  docile  and 
obedient.  With  help  divine,  the  assistance  of 
his  parents  and  the  encouragment  of  his  friends, 
he  stuck  to  his  bush  and  manfully  fought  the 
scholastic  battle  to  a  finish,  graduating  from  the 
Normal  Course  with  honors,  May,  1908. 

As  a  teacher  he  is  thorough  in  what  he  at- 
tempts to  teach.  He  is  conscientious  and  pains- 
taking. Already  at  the  early  age  of  30  years, 
through  perseverance  and  push,  he  has  forged 
his  way  as  teacher  through  the  teachership  of 
schools  at  Pleasant  Hill  Baptist  Church,  Grand 
Cane,  Dotson  Academy  and  Spring  Ridge  In- 
dustrial Institute,  to  the  principalship  of  the 
West  End  Public  School,'  of  Shreveport. 

He  founded  and  taught  "The  Collins  Practical 
Night  School,"  at  Shreveport.  Professor  Collins 
is  not  only  acknowledged  for  his  marked 'ability 
to  work  the  school  up  from  within,  but  when  it 
comes  to  working  it  up  from  without,  he  is  there. 
When  the  teaching  fraternity  and  friends  of 
public  school  education  of  Shreveport  knew  not 
what  to  do  that  they  might  pay  for  a  school  lot 
and  win  for  themselves  another  public  school 
building,  Professor  Collins  came  to  the  rescue 
and  set  his  master  mind  in  action,  and  when  he 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        95 

got  through  thinking  a  few  thoughts,  a  plan  of 
action  had  taken  shape  in  his  mind.  This  plan 
materialized  and  yielded  $334.41.  The  em- 
barrassed situation  was  relieved  and  better  fa- 
cilities for  Negro  public  school  children  were 
secured. 

Be  it  said  to  his  credit  that  he  is  among  the 
few  young  educators  of  our  race  who  take  stock 
in  the  church  of  God  and  delight  to  worship  and 
mingle  with  "the  man  farthest  down."  We 
feel  safe  in  the  prediction  that  this  young  man 
will  continue  to  ripen  as  he  grows  older  into  one 
of  the  world's  greatest  scholars. 

PROF.  THOMAS  HENRY  KANE,  AN   HONORED   NORTH 
LOUISIANA  EDUCATOR. 

One  of  the  most  widely  known  teachers  in  the 
state  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  He  was  born 
in  slavery,  of  Mr.  Samuel  and  Mrs.  Amanda  Kane 
in  the  state  of  South  Carolina,  February  6,  1853. 

After  the  horrors  and  besetments  of  American 
slavery  had  passed  and  freedom  had  been 
freighted  with  educational  hope  for  the  Negro, 
young  Kane  began  to  apply  himself.  The  first 
school  he  attended  was  Providence,  Benton,  La., 
next  Peter's  School,  Shreveport,  La.,  and  finally 
Bishop  College,  Marshall,  Texas.  Here  he  was 
a  hard  student,  and  through  that  pluck  and  in- 
domitable will  so  characteristic  of  the  professor, 
he  laid  the  educational  foundation  on  which  he 
stands  today,  and  on  which  he  has  stood  and  won 
his  hard-fought  scholastic  battle  from  the  coun- 
try schools  of  Greenwood,  La.,  and  Kellyville, 
Texas,  up  to  the  principalship  of  the  Antoine  or 
Mt.  Zion  School,  Shreveport.  La. 

Prof.  Kane    is   active    in    educational    circles, 


96      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

both  local  and  national,  having  conducted  State 
Summer  Normals  for  years  in  various  parts  of 
Louisiana  and  represented  the  State  at  the_  Na- 
tional Teachers'  Association.  He  has  been  iden- 
tified with  the  growth  of  public  schools  for  years, 
being  among  the  prime  movers  who  influenced 
the  public  school  authorities  to  grant  and  estab- 
lish the  Peabody  Normal  in  Shreveport  for  Ne- 
groes; and  through  his  untiring  efforts  the  new 
schoool  building  where  he  now  teaches  was 
erected. 

His  interest  does  not  stop  with  the  children  in 
the  day  school,  but  extends  to  the  Evergreen  Bap- 
tist Church  Sunday-School,  which  he  has  super- 
intended for  a  number  of  years.  He  came  to  this 
work  shortly  after  he  was  converted  and  baptized 
into  the  membership  of  the  Antioch  . Baptist 
Church  in  1877  by  Bishop  Thomas  Christian.  He 
has  been  continuously  engaged  in  Sunday-school 
work  since  uniting  with  Evergreen.  For  many 
years  he  presided  over  the  children  of  the  entire 
District,  being  President  of  the  Thirteenth  Dis- 
trict Sunday-School  Association.  While  holding 
this  position  he  became  endeared  both  to  the  chil- 
dren of  his  school  and  those  of  the  District.  He 
delighted  in  lecturing  the  Negro  Boy's  Improve- 
ment Association — a  movement  organized  by 
Bishop  Wm.  Hicks,  A.  B.,  D.  D.,  at  Trinity  Bap- 
tist Church.  Professor  Kane  is  a  great  reader, 
having  read  the  Bible  through  several  times,  and 
reads  almost  daily  some  of  the  best  authors  of 
this  and  other  ages,  thus  keeping  abreast  of  the 
times  and  holding  his  own  among  the  educators 
of  his  day. 


ELDER  GEORGE  W.  WALKER. 


98      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


PROF.  GEORGE  W.   GREEN,  TEACHER  AND 
CHURCHMAN. 

There  is  not  to  be  found  in  Louisiana  a  teacher 
more  devoted  to  the  church  and  its  work  than  the 
man  of  whom  we  now  write.  He  was  born  in 
St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1849.  Mr.  Alexander  and  Mrs. 
E.  A.  Green  being  his  parents.  His  father  lived 
to  the  ripe  old  age  of  83,  and  his  mother  94.  Both 
were  Virginians.  Prof.  Green  was  born  a  slave 
but  was  bought  by  his  own  father  and  thus 
escaped  the  sad  and  bitter  experiences  of  the 
bondman. 

He  entered  the  public  school  in  St.  Louis, 
where  he  received  an  academic  education.  In 
1871  through  recommendation  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Red- 
mond, Bishop  A.  R.  Blunt  sent  to  St.  Louis  for 
Prof.  Green  to  come  and  begin  school  work  in 
the  Pelican  State.  He  reached  Natchitoches,  La., 
November  26,  1871,  and  was  appointed  to  a  school 
in  Campti,  where  he  has  lived  and  labored  suc- 
cessfully ever  since.  The  first  Negro  Baptist 
Sunday-school,  perhaps,  in  this  part  of  the  state 
was  organized  by  him  in  the  St.  Peter  Baptist 
Church,  December  11,  1871. 

In  1880  he  succeeded  Prof.  John  G.  Lewis  as 
Secretary  of  the  Second  Regular  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation of  the  Twelfth  District.  He  has  held  this 
position  continuously  until  now,  save  his  five 
years'  residence  in  his  native  city.  Upon  his  re- 
turn in  1886  this  body  promptly  re-elected  him. 
He  fills  the  office  with  credit  to  himself  and  de- 
nomination. 

He  is  among  that  class  of  teachers  to  whom  the 
race  is  ESPECIALLY  indebted.  He  is  an  hon- 
ored pioneer  teacher  and  as  such  endured  hard- 
ness, teaching  in  log  houses  and  perhaps  on  dirt 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.        99 


floors  that  the  present-day  Negro  teacher  might 
teach  in  his  two  and  three-story  brick  building. 
Under  the  circumstances  he  has  wrought  well, 
and  made  for  himself  an  imperishable  record 
which  will  live  on  surviving  the  ravages  of  time 
after  his  body  will  have  gone  back  to  mother 
earth. 

JOHN  MILTON  SMITH,   SR.,  TEACHER,  FARMER  AND 
EX-U.  S.  POSTAL  CLERK. 

Of  our  many  young  Baptist  laymen,  none  have 
climbed  higher  in  teaching,  farming  and  United 
States  Postal  Clerk  circles  than  Mr.  J.  M.  Smith, 
Sr.  He  was  born  October  28,  1872,  at  Furrh,  La. 
His  parents,  Mr.  William  and  Mrs.  Ida  Smith, 
being  financially  weak  when  he  reached  school 
age,  failed  to  carry  him  all  the  way  through  but 
did  what  they  could  under  the  circumstances. 

Being  blessed  with  sufficient  iron  in  his  blood 
and  hustle  in  his  bones,  the  subject  of  our  sketch 
started  upward  like  a  rising  star.  After  attend- 
ing the  rural  public  school,  the  Providence 
Academy,  Shreveport,  La.,  under  the  late  lament- 
ed and  scholarly  Dr.  A.  M.  Newman,  and  Bishop 
College  a  short  while,  he  passed  first  grade  Texas 
examinations  and  won  his  place  among  college 
graduate  teachers  in  the  big  state  of  Texas  and 
often  outclassed  them. 

After  teaching  seven  years  in  Harrison  County, 
he  passed  a  Civil  Service  examination  and  en- 
tered the  Railway  Mail  Service  June  2,  1903, 
which  position  he  held  and  honorably  filled  to 
the  delight  and  satisfaction  of  the  United  States 
Government  until  1912,  when  he  of  his  own  ac- 
cord resigned  much  to  the  regret  of  "Uncle  Sam." 
One  of  his  reasons  for  leaving  this  lucrative  po- 


100     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

sition  was  to  go  back  to  the  farm  where  he  could 
more  successfully  save  and  rear  his  children. 
Brother  Smith  wisely  put  the  value  of  his  children 
above  a  big  salary  and  the  privilege  of  living  in 
Mississippi's  metropolis.  He  reached  the  high- 
est round  in  the  ladder  of  service  on  the  mail  car, 
i.  e.,  Clerk  in  Charge. 

His  career  thus  far  has  been  one  of  unbroken 
success.  His  motto — "A  Consistent  Christian,  a 
Loyal  Baptist,  One  and  Inseparable  Now  and  For- 
ever"— is  the  secret  of  his  success.  He  was'  con- 
verted August,  1891,  and  baptized  into  the  mem- 
bership of  Republican  Baptist  Church  by  Bishop 
L.  W.  Canfield.  He  married  Miss  Crenzia  Patsy 
Hicks,  March  13,  1898.  Eight  children  bless  their 
union.  Brother  Smith's  marked  success  has 
helped  him  to  get  closer  to,  not  further  from,  the 
Lord.  While  doing  well  financially  in  the  mail 
service,  during  his  stay  in  Meridian,  Miss.,  he 
always  found  time  to  work  in  El  Bethel  Baptist 
Sunday-School  and  superintend  a  division  of  the 
Negro  Boy's  Improvement  Association,  a  con- 
structive movement  for  the  good  of  the  boys. 

He  is  comparatively  young  and  has  a  great 
future  before  him.  His  achievements  say  he  will 
still  succeed. 

THOMAS  LEE  WELCH,  M.  D.,  PHYSICIAN  AND 
SURGEON. 

In  the  town  of  Houma,  La.,  there  was  born  of 
Mrs.  Saraphine  and  Bishop  T.  L.  Welch  the  young 
doctor  of  whom  we  now  write.  He  became  a 
student  at  an  early  age.  After  finishing  his 
course  in  Houma  Academy,  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine  at  Flint  Medical  College,  New  Orleans, 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      101 

La.,  and  at  the  early  age  of  25  years  graduated 
M.  D.  with  honors  in  1907. 

Dr.  Welch  sought  and  found  the  Lord  early 
in  1898,  and  was  baptized  into  membership  of 
the  New  Zion  Baptist  Church,  Houma,  La.  Al- 
though he  had  the  unstinted  support  of  a  good 
father,  yet  he  proved  his  pluck  by  hustling  part 
of  his  way  through  school  and  working  during 
his  vacations  at  the  United  States  Custom  House, 
New  Orleans,  La.  Notwithstanding  he  has  only 
been  pacticing  the  short  perioc1  of  four  years  (at 
this  writing),  he  has  held  his  own  in  the  science 
of  Medicine  at  New  Iberia,  La.,  where  he  is  ad- 
ministering and  healing  the  sick. 

Dr.  Welch  is  both  a  physician  and     lecturer. 

The  writer  was  privileged  to  enjoy  one  of  his 
great  lectures  on  Tuberculosis  delivered  before 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention  in  ses- 
sion at  Shreveport  La. 

The  Baptists  of  the  state  are  justly  proud  of 
this  young  man,  and  although  tne  greater  part  of 
his  medical  road  lies  before  him,  from  work  al- 
ready well  done,  it  is  easy  to  predict  that  success 
will  be  his  as  he  shall  count  more  mile  stones  in 
medicine. 

MISS  ELIZABETH  NORRINGTON,  NOTED  SCHOLAR 
AND  TEACHER. 

The  lady  whose  biography  wo  now  pen  is  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  Emanuel  and  Mrs.  Eliza  Nor- 
rington.  She  was  born  in  the  town  of  Minden, 
La.,  1865.  It  was  evident  earl r  in  life  that  she 
was  endowed  with  a  bright  intellect.  Her 
parents,  though  slaves,  were  firm  believers  in, 
and  ardent  supporters  of  Christian  education. 
Though  they  had  but  little  of  this  world's  good, 


DR.  H.  C.  COTTON. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       103 

they  set  themselves  to  the  task  of  educating  their 
little  daughter.  After  removing  to  New  Orleans 
they  first  sent  her  to  the  Clio  Public  School.  Hav- 
ing accomplished  much  here,  they  removed  again 
to  Shreveport,  La.,  where  Miss  Elizabeth  imme- 
diately entered  school.  Here  she  distinguished 
herself  by  showing  that  she  had  laid  deep  and 
broad  a  foundation  for  higher  education.  Ac- 
cordingly her  father  sent  hfir  to  Oberlin  College, 
Oberlin,  0.  Here  she  waf  studious  and  indus- 
trious, being  loved  by  her  teachers  and  school- 
mates.    She  often  led  in  tier  examinations. 

After  preparation  for  her  life  work,  here  at 
Oberlin,  she  came  south  and  began  teaching.  As 
a  teacher  she  has  been  and  is  a  success,  having 
won  for  herself  not  only  a  state-wide,  but  a  coun- 
try-wide reputation.  She  has  held  the  follow- 
ing positions :  First  Assistant  in  Providence 
Academy,  Shreveport.  La.;  First  Assistant  in 
Antoine  or  Mt.  Zion  ^ublic  School,  Shreveport, 
La.,  where  she  now  '19 14)  labors  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  School  Board  and  the  patrons  and 
to  the  delight  of  Ahe  children.  Miss  Norring- 
ton  has  served  repeatedly  in  Summer  Normal 
School  Faculties  a«  Model  Teacher.  She  is  Trus- 
tee and  one  of  the  Supervisors  of  The  Heart's 
Ease  Industrial  OnDhanage.  This  is  one  of  the 
most  accomplished  women  in  the  state,  well  read, 
a  consistent  Christian,  model  housekeeper  and  an 
exemplary  teacher. 

N.  H.  C.   HENDERSON,  M.  D.,  PHYSICIAN  AND 
SURGEON. 

This  young  man  is  the  son  of  Mr.  H.  C.  and 
Mrs.  Pheobe  Henderson.  He  is  one  of  Louisi- 
ana's most     successful     physicians.     Longwood, 


104     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

La.,  is  his  birthplace.  Being  blessed  with  a  pa- 
rents who  were  intensely  interested  in  Christian 
education,  he  had  fairly  smooth  sailing  as  to  get- 
ting through  school.  Reaching  school  age  he  was 
sent  to  the  country  public  school.  Later  he  en- 
tered Bishop  College,  Marshall,  Texas,  where  he 
spent  several  years.  During  his  vacations  he 
studied  Latin  and  other  subjects  under  the  writer 
at  a  Summer  School  near  Furrh,  La.  After- 
wards he  entered  the  College  and  Medical  De- 
partment of  the  University  of  West  Tennessee, 
and  graduated  M.  D.  1908. 

Dr.  Henderson  located  in  Memphis,  Tenn.,  in 
1909,  after  passing  the  State  Medical  Board  of 
Tennessee.  He  has  been  elected  president  of  the 
Alumni  Association  of  West  Tennessee  Univer- 
sity, and  also  Professor  of  Chemical  Medicine. 

He  was  converted  at  the  early  age  of  14,  and 
baptized  into  the  membership  of  the  Republican 
Baptist  Church,  Furrh,  La.,  by  Bishop  L.  W. 
Canfield.  This  young  man  has  a  bright  future 
in  the  field  of  medical  endeavor. 

ISAAC  CORNELIUS  CHAPTMAN,   M.  D.,  LL.  B., 
PHYSICIAN  AND   LAWYER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  in  La- 
fayette, La.,  1861.  Mr.  Isaac  and  Mrs.  Malina 
Chaptman  were  his  parents.  Dr.  Chaptman  was 
deprived  of  early  school  training.  He  worked  on 
the  farm  with  his  father  until  he  was  of  age. 
The  writer  has  heard  him  say  that  on  the  day 
he  was  21  his  father  called  him  in  the  field,  and 
reminding  him  of  his  age  told  him  he  might  go, 
and  (so  to  speak)  enter  life's  battle  to  win  or 
lose.  With  a  good  supply  of  nerve  and  iron  in 
his  blood  he  started  out.     His  first  job  was  on 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      105 

a  farm  at  $12  per  month.  The  work  was  hard 
but  he  stayed  on  his  job  until  the  crop  was 
gathered.  Next  he  succeeded  in  getting  work  as 
a  common  laborer  in  the  U.  S.  Custom  House, 
New  Orleans,  La.,  under  Hon.  William  Pitt  Kel- 
logg. He  worked  here  two  years  at  $50  per 
month,  saving  about  $600  during  this  ■  time. 
Lending  this  money  out  amiss  made  it  almost 
impossible  for  him  to  begin  the  work  of  self- 
education.  However  he  succeeded  in  entering 
Leland  University  with  a  small  sum  of  money, 
and  practically  no  education  at  all  after  he  was 
22  years  old.  After  spending  some  years  here 
at  Leland,  doing  a  deal  of  literary  work,  he  en- 
tered New  Orleans  University,  where  he  was  a 
hard  student,  and  where  he  accomplished  much. 
Following  he  took  up  the  study  of  medicine  at 
Flint  Medical  College  and  graduated  M.  D., 
with  honors,  being  among  its  first  graduates,. 
He  again  graduated  from  the  Intercontinental 
School  of  Law. 

Starting  out  on  his  medical  career  practically 
penniless,  his  only  money  to  start  with  being  a 
graduating  present  of  $10,  given  by  Mrs.  Frances 
White,  and  $1  by  Prof.  Jonas  Henderson,  he 
began  at  once  to  demonstrate  his  curative  powers 
as  a  physician  at  New  Orleans,  La.,  Crowley,  La., 
Orange,  Texas,  Lake  Charles,  La.,  and  Lafayette, 
La.,  where  he  now  (1912)  labors. 

He  was  converted  and  baptized  in  the  mem- 
bership of  the  Good  Hope  Baptist  Church,  El- 
der C.  Noah,  buried  him  in  baptism.  Dr.  Chapt- 
man  is  pushful,  enterprising  and  progressive. 
He  is  largely  a  "self-made  man" — pure  and  sim- 
ple. What  he  has  accomplished  bespeaks  for 
him  continued  success  in  the  medical  profession. 


106     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


PROF.  R.  P.  PLAYER,  NOTED  TEACHER. 

March  11,  1876,  this  young  man  was  born  near 
Aiden  Bridge,  La.,  of  Mr.  Samuel  and  Mrs.  Mag- 
gie Player.  At  the  age  of  eight  his  parents  sent 
him  to  school  at  Cotton  Grove  (near  Alden 
Bridge)  to  a  Mr.  Russell  (white)  as  the  public 
schools  at  that  time  were  being  taught  by  a  very 
few  colored  teachers.  So  marked  was  young 
Player's  interest  in  his  books,  and  so  studious 
did  he  become  that  he  began  to  hold  the  "head  of 
his  class." 

At  this  early  age  he  started  up  to  take  his  place 
among  the  intellectual  stars  of  Louisiana.  He 
spent  four  years  in  public  schools  of  his  parish, 
and  after  studying  "farmology"  eight  years  he 
entered  the  Thirteenth  District  Normal  and  Col- 
legiate Institute  under  Professor  Wm.  Hicks. 
Here  he  studied  hard  and  graduated  from  the 
Normal  Course  with  honors.  He  speaks  as  fol- 
lows of  his  school  life :  "Although  Rev.  Hicks  re- 
signed before  I  finished,  I  confess  that  I  owe 
much  of  the  character  building  and  general  in- 
formation needed  to  carry  one  over  life's  sea  to 
him."  After  finishing  the  prescribed  course  of 
study  here  at  this  Institution,  he  was  elected  As- 
sistant Principal  of  his  Alma  Mater,  but  soon 
resigned  and  accepted  the  principalship  of  the 
Butler  Hill  Public  School,  Shreveport,  La. 

He  began  this  work  with  only  about  50  pupils 
in  one  rented  room.  But  because  of  the  large 
amount  of  hustle  in  his  bones,  and  his  indomita- 
ble will,  he  was  willing  to  go  up  against  adverse 
conditions,  believing  that  with  God  on  his  side 
no  night  would  get  too  dark,  no  road  too  muddy, 
and  no  hill  too  high.  He  got  down  to  business 
and  in  a  short  while,  by  the  assistance  of  God, 


MISS    ELIZABETH    NORRINGTON. 


108    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

white  and  colored  friends,  his  50  pupils  grew  in 
numbers  to  450,  and  his  little  rented  room  gave 
way  to  a  large  two-story  frame  structure  with 
six  modernly  equipped  recitation  rooms  and  a 
large  auditorium.  He  is  now  (1914)  the  popu- 
lar principal  of  this  school,  enjoying  the  confi- 
dence of  his  corps  of  teachers,  hundreds  of  stu- 
dents, friends  and  the  public  school  authorities  of 
both  parish  and  state. 

Prof.  Player  was  converted  at  the  age  of  17 
years,  but  owing  to  a  continual  "sending  back  to 
the  wilderness,"  which  was  in  vogue  in  those 
days,  among  the  pioneer  preachers  (and  which 
is  much  needed  to  be  revived  in  these  days),  it 
was  a  year  hence  before  he  was  baptized.  Bishop 
I.  S.  Whitaker  baptized  him  into  the  membership 
of  the  Evergreen  Baptist  Church,  Alden  Bridge, 
La.  His  pleasing  manner  and  Christian  deport- 
ment commended  him  to  his  church.  He  was 
elected  clerk  and  annually  represented  his  church 
in  the  Thirteenth  District  Association.  The  As- 
sociation being  favorably  impressed,  elected  him 
Corresponding  Secretary.  During  this  time  he 
was  also  appointed  School  Secretary.  He  is  at 
this  writing  Auditor  of  the  Thirteenth  District 
Association  of  Churches  and  Secretary  of  the  As- 
sociation of  Sunday-schools. " 

Four  years  he  owned  and  operated  the  Search- 
light Printing  Office.  In  1908  he  married  Miss 
Pearline  Bailey.  Two  boys  bless  their  union. 
Prof.  Player's  pleasing  manner,  upright  charac- 
ter and  religious  sentiment  predict  for  him  fu- 
ture success. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      109 

PROF.  M.  J.  FOSTER,  B.  A.,  TEACHER  AND  SCHOOL 
BUILDER. 

The  light  of  day  was  first  seen  by  Professor 
Foster  in  1875  in  the  parish  of  St.  Martin,  La. 
He  is  the  son  of  Mr.  Albert  and  Mrs.  Cora  Foster. 
Being  proud  of  their  boy  they  doubtless  prayed 
early  and  earnestly  that  God  would  some  day 
make  of  him  a  great  man.  It  is  gratifying  to 
say  that  their  prayers  have  been  answered.  They 
helped  God  to  answer  their  prayers  by  starting 
their  boy  out  to  school  as  soon  as  he  reached 
school  age. 

Having  a  bright  intellect,  he  successfully  made 
his  way  through  the  course  of  study  at  Howe 
Institute,  New  Iberia,  La.  He  attended  Atlanta 
Baptist  College,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  afterwards  en- 
tered Leland  University,  New  Orleans,  La.,  where 
he  applied  himself  as  a  hard  student,  winning 
and  holding  the  confidence  of  the  President,  fac- 
ulty and  student  body;  and  graduated  twice  with 
honors:  first  from  the  College  Preparatory 
Course  and  then  from  the  B.  A.  degree  Course 
May  17,   1905. 

On  leaving  Leland  he  was  called  to  the  princi- 
palship  of  the  Tenth  District  High  School,  Mon- 
roe, La.,  which  position  he  now  holds  with  credit 
to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Tenth 
District  brethren,  having  graduated  from  the 
Teacher-Training  Course  in  connection  with  his 
Normal  and  College  Course.  This  school  is  in 
a  prosperous  condition  with  an  enrollment  of 
208.  Domestic  Science,  Sewing  and  thorough 
work  in  literary  branches  up  to  the  Ninth  Grade 
are  taught.  Plans  and  specifications  for  another 
building  three  stories  high  with  a  seating  ca- 


110     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


pacity  of  500  have  recently  been  approved  by  the 
principal. 

After  his  conversion  in  1892,  Elder  J.  B.  Liv- 
ingston baptized  him  into  the  membership  of  the 
Mt.  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  New  Iberia,  La.  In 
1905  he  was  united  in  holy  wedlock  to  Miss  Ottie 
Alberta  Wright.  Two  sons  bless  their  union — 
Madison  W.  and  Leland  F.  Prof.  Foster  has  put 
himself  on  record  as  an  efficient  teacher,  schgol 
and  home  builder. 

PROF.  IRA  A.  HENDERSON,  TEACHER  AND  U.  S.  R.  R. 
POSTAL    CLERK. 

None  of  Louisiana's  young  men  are  more  in- 
dustrious and  more  religiously  inclined  than  Ira 
A.  Henderson.  His  birth  place  was  Longwood, 
La.  His  parents,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Howell  Hender- 
son, have  always  been  loyal  supporters  of  Chris- 
tian education,  and  he  received  from  them  every 
school  advantage  they  were  able  to  give.  " 

It  became  evident  early  in  life  that  his  was  a 
bright  intellect.  He  was  started  to  school  at  an 
early  age,  and  after  making  good  in  the  public 
school  of  his  parish  and  also  in  a  private  school 
taug-ht  by  the  writer  and  other  teachers,  he  enter- 
ed the  famous  Tuskegee  Institute,  Oct.,  1902,  and 
graduated  from  the  Academic  Course,  May,  1904. 
On  leaving  school  he  accepted  the  principalship 
of  the  public  school  at  Emma,  La.  In  1907  he 
was  appointed  postmaster  at  Sojourner,  La.  He 
served  "Uncle  Sam"  for  some  time  satisfactorily 
in  this  capacity;  later  he  climbed  higher  into  the 
United  States'  Mail  Service,  which  position  he 
now  (1912)  holds  with  credit  to  himself  and 
race. 

Mr.  Henderson  was  converted  in  1893  and  bap- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      Ill 

tized  into  the  membership  of  the  Republican  Bap- 
tist Church,  Furrh,  La.,  by  Bishop  L.  W.  Can- 
field.  His  economic  ability  is  evidenced  by  the 
fact  that  in  a  short  while  he  has  acquired  prop- 
erty in  Texarkana,  Tex.,  Shreveport,  La.,  and  is 
also  a  stockholder  in  the  Caddo  Pharmacy, 
Shreveport,  La.  The  push,  energy,  will-power 
and  determination  possessed  by  this  young  man 
say  that  he  will  win  more  victories. 

BISHOP   J.    H.   FLEMINGS,    NOTED   PIONEER 
PREACHER. 

No  man  in  the  state  has  done  more  for  our 
Baptist  Zion  than  Elder  John  H.  Flemings.  He 
was  born  in  St.  Landry  Parish  in  1852.  In  1872 
he  was  converted  at  the  early  age  of  20  years. 
This  pioneer  came  along  when  intellectual  dark- 
ness hung  like  a  pall  over  his  pathway,  but  being 
made  of  the  proper  kind  of  metal  with  plenty  of 
push  and  energy  he  pushed  his  way  to  the  front. 
Although  deprived  of  early  training  he  seized 
every  opportunity  freedom  brought  him  to  im- 
prove, and  very  soon  he  was  able  to  read  the 
"King's  English"  and  God's  Holy  Word.  In 
1882  he  passed  a  very  creditable  examination  and 
was  ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry.  His  first 
pastorate  was  Good  Hope  Baptist  Church,  Al- 
giers, La.  Following  he  pastored  successfully 
Mt.  Olive  and  Mt.  Carmel  Baptist  Churches.  He 
was  the  honored  pastor  twenty-nine  years  of  the 
first  church  to  which  he  was  called,  serving  until 
he  left  for  Heaven.  For  more  than  twenty-three 
years  he  stood  at  his  post,  weathering  many 
storms  as  Moderator  of  the  First  District  Asso- 
ciation. During  these  years  this  body  has  done 
a  work  that  mortal  tongue  will  never  tell  fully. 


JOHN  MILTON  SMITH. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      113 

The  District  fosters  and  maintains  an  Old  Folks 
Home  which  has  done  much  in  soothing  the  sor- 
rows and  alleviating  the  sufferings  of  our  poor 
old  mothers.  Bishop  Flemings  now  rest  from  his 
labors  and  his  good  works  do  follow  him. 
"Servant  of  God,   well   done, 

Rest  from  thy  loved  employ, 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won, 
Enter  thy  Master's  joy." 

DR.  H.  C.  COTTON,  A  GREAT  PREACHER  AND 
COMMUNITY  BUILDER. 

Some  of  our  brethren  throughout  the  state 
have  accomplished  much  in  preaching  the  gos- 
pel, building  church  houses,  school  houses  and 
communities,  but  none  have  ■  reached  a  highei" 
mark  in  these  endeavors  than  Bishop  H.  C.  Cot- 
ton. He  was  born  at  Bayou  Sara,  La.,  August, 
1852.  At  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  he  attended 
the  private  and  public  schools  of  his  town,  where 
he  completed  the  English  Course.  In  1884  he 
entered  Leland  University,  where  he  found  him- 
self surrounded  by  many  disadvantages.  These 
obstacles,  together  with  the  responsibility  of  a 
family  and  the  oversight  of  a  large  church,  com- 
pelled him  to  give  up  further  study  at  the  Uni- 
versity and  arrange  for  private  study  at  home. 
His  progress  proved  his  success  as  a  private  stu- 
dent. Manifest  educational  attainments  pos- 
sessed by  him,  and  the  educational  training  that 
came  to  others  through  his  instrumentality  placed 
him  among  the  men  of  thought  and  action  of  his 
day. 

Elder  Cotton  was  converted  at  Bayou  Sara, 
La.,  and  baptized  into  the  membership  of  the  In- 
dependent Missionary  Baptist  Church,  May  10, 


114    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptist*. 

1871.  In  1875  he  was  licensed  to  preach  and  in 
1879  he  was  ordained  by  the  following  Bishops: 
Daniel  Dorsey,  Samuel  Tucker,  Henry  Hewlet, 
Eli  Perkins  and  Anderson  Hogan. 

One  of  the  first  acts  of  his  public  life  was  the 
organization  of  East  and  West  Feliciana  and 
Point  Coupee  Baptist  Association.  This  associ- 
ation was  instrumental  in  collecting  the  few  scat- 
tered churches  for  future  service.  It  began  the 
work  of  organizing  churches,  ordaining  preach- 
ers and  disseminating  Baptist  doctrine  until  the 
year  1885.  Then  the  State  Convention  (as  will 
be  observed  elsewhere  in  this  volume)  for  the 
conveniences  of  the  churches  re-districted  the 
state  into  13  associational  districts.  It  was  then 
that  this  body  organized  by  Dr.  Cotton  became 
the  Fourth  District  Baptist  Association.  The 
following  brethren  assisted  in  the  organization  of 
the  East  and  West  Feliciana  and  Point  Coupee 
Baptist  Association:  Daniel  Dorsey,  George 
Dent,  Henry  Hewlet,  Archie  Hulbert,  Nathaniel 
RatlifT,  John  Clark,  Wash  Carter,  Moses  Overton, 
Rufin  Thornton  and  many  others  whose  names 
are  not  preserved. 

Bishop  Cotton  served  nearly  four  years  as 
State  and  District  Missionary  and  has  pastored 
twenty-seven  years,  during  which  time  he  bap- 
tized more  than  a  thousand  souls,  assisted  in  or- 
ganizing many  churches,  helped  in  the  ordina- 
tion of  a  large  number  of  young  ministers.  Three 
church  edifices  have  been  constructed  and  re- 
modeled under  his  wise  leadership.  This  same 
leader  of  men  with  others  organized  and  founded 
the  Houma  Academy,  Houma,  La.,  and  the  Israel 
Academy,  Bell  Alliance,  La.  Both  of  these 
schools  have  creditably     constructed     buildings 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      115 

with  modern  improvements.    Their  value  is  more 
than  $2,000  each. 

For  more  than  twenty  consecutive  years  Dr. 
Cotton  served  as  Moderator  of  the  Fifth  District 
Association,  and  was  three  times  elected  Presi- 
dent of  the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention, 
the  highest  honor  that  could  be  bestowed  by  his 
brethren.  His  brethren  were  satisfied  and  de- 
lighted with  his  service  while  he  presided  over 
the  Convention.  He  was  called  to  the  Israel  Bap- 
tist Church  in  1885,  which  is  one  of  our  largest 
and  most  influential  churches.  During  the  28 
years  of  pastoral  work  with  these  good  people, 
he  has  more  than  doubled  the  membership  and 
increased  the  material  value  from  $5,000  to 
$10,000,  having  remodeled  the  church  edifice  and 
made  it  modern  in  every  respect.  Israel  Acade- 
my which  was  fostered  by  him  and  his  great 
church  is  a  large  two-story  frame  structure  45x- 
30x22,  completed  throughout.  Israel  Baptist 
Church  put  this  school  up  at  a  cost  of  $2,556.20, 
and  paid  for  it  in  six  months  and  one  day. 

Through  the  teaching  and  influence  of  this 
great  man  the  majority  of  his  members  own 
homes. 

Leland  University  has  signally  honored  him 
by  conferring  upon  him  the  honorary  degree, 
D.  D.,  and  also  elected  him  as  one  of  its  trustees. 
Dr.  Cotton  enjoyed  the  esteem  and  confidence  not 
only  of  the  people  of  Bell  Alliance,  but  of  all  who 
knew  him.  He  did  great  good  while  he  lived, 
blessing  every  life  that  came  in  contact  with  his. 

"Soldier  of  Christ,  well  done, 
Praise  be  thy  new  employ, 


9. 
'  0 


116     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

And,  while  eternal  ages  run, 
Rest  in  thy  Savior's  joy." 

ELDER  GEORGE  W.   WALKER,  PIONEER  PREACHER  OF 
ABILITY. 

The  great  work  of  this  noted  man  accomplished 
in  the  city  of  New  Orleans  caused  his  name  to 
become  a  household  word  almost  throughout  the 
state  of  Louisiana.  The  veteran  whose  life  and 
deeds  we  attempt  to  depict  was  known  for  his 
sterling  qualities  beyond  the  confines  of  his  state. 
He  was  a  skilled  mechanic  and  held  the  position 
of  engineer  at  the  shipper's  Cotton  Press,  New 
Orleans,  La. 

After  his  conversion  he  united  with  the  First 
African  Baptist  Church,  New  Orleans,  La.,  un- 
der the  pastorate  of  Elder  Nelson  Sanders.  In 
the  year  of  1819  he  was  born  at  Pulaski,  Tenn., 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  December,  1892, 
was  73  years  old.  The  greater  part  of  these 
years  was  spent  in  unselfish  service  to  God  and 
humanity. 

Soon  after  his  conversion  he  felt  divinely  called 
to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  and  after  relat- 
ing his  call  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  by 
Bishop  Nelson  Sanders  and  others.  In  almost 
middle  life  and  about  the  time  of  his  entrance 
into  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  married  Miss 
Martha  Jane  Wright,  of  Norfolk,  Va.,  who  was 
a  great  source  of  inspiration  to  him  in  his  Di- 
vinely appointed  profession.  While  working  at 
his  trade  as  an  engineer  he  gathered  together  a 
faithful  band  of  followers  and  began  worship- 
ping God  at  a  little  church  within  the  confines 
of  the  old  Delechaise  Brick  Yard.     His  effective- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       117 

ness  as  a  gospel  preacher  and  his  ability  to  at- 
tract and  hold  men  became  so  pronounced  that 
the  congregation  outgrew  its  small  house  and  he 
was  compelled  to  purchase  larger  quarters  on 
Austerlitz  street,  upon  which  was  erected  a  com- 
modious building.  Hundreds  of  souls  were  born 
of  the  Spirit  through  the  plain  but  effective  Gos- 
pel which  was  preached  from  the  sacred  desk  of 
the  new  church  edifice.  Soon  this  structure  be- 
came too  small  to  accommodate  the  large  and  in- 
creasing membership  and  congregation  that 
would  gather  to  hear  this  gifted  gospel  preacher. 

Seeing  the  need  of  a  larger  house,  his  trustees 
and  members  joined  him  in  purchasing  the  lot 
whereon  stands  today  an  edifice  which  is  a  monu- 
ment to  his  memory,  his  far-sightedness  and 
ability  as  both  a  preacher  and  a  church  house 
builder.  Funds  were  readily  raised  by  various 
kinds  of  entertainments  and  liberal  private  sub- 
scriptions. Upon  the  completion  of  the  building, 
and  the  entry  of  the  congregation  into  it,  his  min- 
istry was  blessed  with  many  more  souls;  and  be- 
cause of  his  ability  to  influence  and  persuade  men 
to  come  to  Christ  there  are  scattered  here  and 
there  throughout  these  United  States  hundreds 
of  men  and  women  who  delight  to  call  him 
"Pappy  George,"  and  who  attribute  their  conver- 
sion to  his  plain,  thoughtful  and  convincing  gos- 
pel. 

He  was  an  intense  lover  of  education  and  en- 
couraged the  young  members  of  his  church  to 
attend  school.  During  his  pastorate  at  the 
Austerlitz  Street  Baptist  Church  more  College 
students  heard  his  sermons  and  connected  them- 
selves with  his  church  than  with  any  other  Bap- 
tist church  in  the  city.  Elder  Walker  possessed 
wonderful  power  in  prayer.     At  a  meeting  held 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      119 

in  Washington  Artillery  Hall  he  prayed  so  much 
like  Paul  anl  Silas  in  the  Philippian  jail  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  and  set  that  vast  audience  on 
1: allowed  fire,  and  moved  them  to  uncontrolable 
tears  of  rejoicing. 

In  the  dark  days  of  slavery,  this  veteran 
preache:  learned  to  read  and  write,  and  also  to 
add,  subtract  and  multiply.  He  accumulated  a 
large  theological  library  which  he  studied  and 
which  was  made  manifest  through  his  intelligent 
and  able  expositions  of  God's  Word.  He  was  a 
trustee  of  Leland  University  as  long  as  he  lived; 
was  a  life  member  of  the  Baptist  Foreign  Mis- 
sion Convention,  the  first  interstate  organization 
among  Negro  Baptists,  organized  at  Montgomery, 
Ala.,  in  1880.  He  was  Treasurer  of  the  old 
Louisiana  Southern  Association,  Treasurer  of 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention,  and  one 
of  the  founders  and  Treasurer  of  the  Old  Folks 
Home  at  New  Orleans,  La.  His  ability  to  handle 
wisely  the  finances  of  his  people,  and  his  honesty 
of  purpose  was  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  he 
accumulated  little  for  himself,  but  left  at  least 
$20,000  worth  of  property  for  his  members. 

His  sainted  wife  preceded  him  to  glory,  and 
after  the  cares  and  turmoils  of  life  had  begun  to 
make  successful  inroads  upon  his  physical  frame, 
he  departed  this  life  December,  1892.  The 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  was  clearly  demon- 
strated, for  he  had  one  of,  if  not  the  largest  fun- 
eral pageants  that  ever  approached  a  cemetery. 
His  children  are  Mattie  E.  Walker,  noted  teacher, 
Thaddeus  Walker,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  a  scholar  and  one 
of  the  leading  physicians  of  the  United  States, 
and  George  H.  Walker,  a  printer. 


120     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


BISHOP  T.  L.   WELCH,  SR.,  AN  EMINENT  PREACHER. 

Among  the  good  and  loyal  Baptist  preachers 
of  Louisiana  stands  towering  high  Elder  Thomas 
Lee  Welch,  who  was  born  in  Louisiana  in  1859. 
His  parents  moved  to  Texas  in  1861,  but  owing 
to  bad  health  the  family  moved  back  to  Louisiana. 
When  quite  young  Brother  Welch  showed  signs 
of  a  desire  for  learning,  accordingly  in  1869  he 
entered  school.  After  completing  his  English 
Course  misfortune  came  to  his  parents  which 
made  it  necessary  for  him  to  begin  teaching 
school. 

When  he  had  taught  three  or  four  years,  he 
became  acquainted  with  Miss  Sarah  Carter  and 
after  five  years  they  were  married.  This  union 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children,  the  younger 
of  whom,  T.  L.  Welch,  Jr.,  is  a  successful  physi- 
cian. Elder  Welch  was  converted  and  by  bap- 
tism added  to  the  Morning  Star  Baptist  Church, 
July  7,  1878.  Five  years  after  he  joined  the 
church,  it  became  pastorless,  and  being  led  by 
the  Spirit  to  believe  that  Bishop  Welch  was  the 
man,  called  him  to  their  pastorate  in  1885.  In 
1902  he  was  elected  pastor  of  New  Zion  Baptist 
Church,  which  he  pastored  successfully  for  seven 
years,  having  added  three  hundred  souls  and 
raised  to  their  credit  $4,670.60. 

Brother  Welch  has  held  and  now  holds  many 
positions  of  honor  and  trust.  In  1887  he  was 
unanimously  elected  secretary  of  the  Fifth  Dis- 
trict Association,  which  position  he  filled  with 
credit  five  years.  In  1903  he  was  elected  Treas- 
urer of  this  same  body  and  served  with  that  dig- 
nity and  honor  which  becometh  a  Christian  min- 
ister, and  in  1908  he  was  elected  Treasurer  of  the 
Louisiana  Baptist  State     Convention.     He     fills 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      121 

this  position  now  (1912)  to  the  satisfaction  of 
this  great  body.  Bishop  Welch  enjoys  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 

BISHOP  LAURENCE  CYRUS  SIMON,  DISTINGUISHED 
PASTOR  AND  ORATOR. 

Of  the  hundreds  of  Louisiana  Baptist  pulpiteers 
there  are  none  stronger  than  Elder  Simon,  who 
was  born  March  8,  1858,  at  Youngville,  La.  His 
parents  were  Mr.  Thomas  and  Mrs.  Delia  Simon. 
From  youth  he  had  a  bright  intellect.  His  school 
age  and  Emancipation  coming  about  the  same 
time  surrounded  him  with  meager  opportunities 
for  going  to  school.  However,  his  parents  did 
what  they  could  for  him,  and  notwithstanding 
hardships  he  continued  struggling  upward  until 
the  good  fortune  of  entering  Leland  University, 
New  Orleans,  La.,  came  his  way.  He  hailed  this 
privilege  with  delight,  and  very  soon  was  enrolled 
among  Leland's  students.  Here  he  became  a  hard 
student,  usually  leading  his  classes. 

He  was  not  alone  interested  in  his  own  welfare 
at  the  University,  but  was  much  concerned  about 
the  other  boys.  The  writer  will  not  forget  the 
kindness  and  help  that  came  to  him  at  Leland 
from  the  hands  of  this  good  man.  Elder  Simon 
continued  his  studies  and  stayed  in  Leland's 
molds  of  preparation  until  he  had  about  finished 
the  Normal  Course. 

He  is  noted  for  his  humor,  wit  and  sound  judg- 
ment, and  has  but  few  equals  when  it  comes  to 
doing  things,  believing  thoroughly  in  the  doctrine 
of  doing  things  BY  DOING  THEM.  More  than 
once  has  he  captured  with  his  wonderful  oratory 
the  great     National     Baptist     Convention,     and 


122     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

swayed  that  great  audience  to  and  fro  like  a 
forest  in  a  tempest. 

He  was  converted  in  1873,  baptized  by  Bishop 
R.  R.  Dyeis,  preached  his  first  sermon  July,  1875, 
and  was  ordained  March  26,  1881.  He  has 
preached  the  Word  with  power  and  demonstra- 
tion to  the  Baptist  churches  at  Lafayette,  La., 
Morgan  City,  La.,  and  Opelousas,  La.,  where  he 
has  held  forth  the  Word  of  Truth  for  the  past 
22  years. 

For  twelve  years  he  was  Moderator  of  the  Sev- 
enth District  Baptist  Association.  This  position 
he  held  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satis- 
faction of  his  brethren.  At  the  expiration  of 
these  twelve  years  this  Christian  body  with  much 
reluctance  gave  up  this  great  thinker  and  worker, 
who  had  been  their  Moses  through  all  these  years 
of  sunshine  and  storm.  During  his  administra- 
tion the  Association  founded  and  paid  for  a  Dis- 
trict High  School  with  a  valuation  of  $20,000. 
Brother  Simon  stands  well  in  his  community,  and 
his  worth  as  a  man  and  as  a  preacher  is  not  only 
acknowledged  in  his  District  and  state  but 
throughout  the  United  States. 

ELDER  D.  M.  BROWN,  PREACHER  AND  ASSOCIATION 
MODERATOR. 

Bishop  Brown  was  born  of  Mr.  Abram  and 
Mrs.  Adline  Brown,  at  Vernon,  La.,  Jackson 
Parish,  November,  1865.  He  inherited  love  for 
knowledge  and  found  himself  the  happy  posses- 
sor of  energy  and  push  in  the  struggle  to  win 
out  in  life's  battle.  At  an  early  age  he  married 
Miss  Laura  Thompson. 

In  1885,  Elder  Brown  was  converted  and  bap- 
tized into  the  membership  of  the     County    Line 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      123 

Baptist  Church  by  Bishop  H.  P.  Pierce.  His 
faithfulness  to  duty  caused  his  church  to  esteem 
him  highly.  He  served  this  church  one  year  as 
deacon,  during  which  time  he  was  impressed  of 
his  call  by  the  Spirit  to  preach.  He  was  ordained 
by  the  following :  H.  P.  Pierce,  C.  H.  Harvey.  C. 
H.  Wilson,  G.  B.  Washington.  He  was  ordained 
to  take  charge  of  the  Mt.  Hebron  Baptist  Church, 
Boatner,  La.,  which  he  served  one  year  with 
credit.  In  1894,  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  County 
Line  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  member. 
Here  he  erected  a  good  house  of  worship  during 
these  six  years  of  service  at  this  place ;  he  taught 
both  by  precept  and  example.  He  accepted  the 
pastorate  of  the  Pleasant  Grove  Baptist  Church, 
Clay,  La. 

Feeling  more  keenly  his  need  for  further  study, 
he  moved  to  Ruston  and  entered  the  Ruston  Nor- 
mal School  under  Professor  S.  A.  Williams. 
While  at  school  he  was  elected  pastor  of  Olive 
Grove  Baptist  Church.  He  was  the  prime  mover 
in  the  organization  of  St.  Peter  Baptist  Church. 
He  has  pastored  with  credit  the  following 
churches:  Hopewell  Baptist  Church,  Dubach, 
La.;  Hopewell  Union  Baptist  Church,  Bernice, 
La.  Here  he  erected  a  $600  edifice  as  proof  of 
his  ability  as  a  builder.  Salem  Baptist  Church, 
which  he  pastored  eight  years;  Fellowship  Bap- 
tist Church,  Simsboro,  La.,  where  he  served  six 
vears,  built  a  nice  house  of  worship  and  received 
many  into  the  membership  of  the  church. 

He  finished  the  Normal  Course  in  1907  at  Rus- 
ton Normal  School  under  Professor  I.  S.  Powell, 
B.  A.,  with  honors.  Bishop  Brown  has  held  the 
following  positions:  Moderator  Liberty  Hill  As- 
sociation several  years,  Vice  Moderator  Liberty 
Hill     Baptist    Association,     Member    Executive 


Is 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      125 

Board  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention  six 
years,  District  State  Missionary  two  years  and 
President  State  Sunday-School  Convention. 

Temporally  as  well  '  as  spiritually,  Brother 
Brown  believes  in  improving-  his  business.  As 
evidence  of  this  fact,  he  possesses  a  nice  six- 
room  cottage  at  Ruston,  and  also  a  nice  house 
and  lot  at  Burnice.  He  is  blessed  with  an  ener- 
getic wife  who  figures  prominently  in  his  success. 
She  holds  the  position  of  President  of  the 
Woman's  Home  Mission  Society  of  Liberty  Hill 
Association.  Elder  Brown  has  wrought  well 
thus  far,  and  with  the  continued  support  of  his 
co-laborers  in  Sunday-school  and  District  work 
his  futUre  achievements  will  be  greater  than  his 
past  accomplishments. 

BISHOP  R.  A.   MAYFIELD,  CHURCH  AND  SCHOOL 
BUILDER. 

Of  the  progressive  Bap  cists  of  Louisiana  none 
have  given  signs  of  more  s.pirit  of  push  and  push- 
fulness  than  Bishop  Roy  Arthur  Mayfield,  who 
was  born  April  8,  1876,  i  ear  Vienna,  La.  It  is 
said  that  he  was  a  strange  child,  and  that  he 
never  crawled,  but  one  day  all  at  once  jumped  up 
and  went  to  running  all  about. 

Before  knowing  what  a  school  was  he  was 
versed  in  notation  and  numeration.  He  entered 
a  Lincoln  parish  school  when  he  was  10  years  of 
age.  After  getting  five  heavy  thrashings  the 
first  week  from  his  teacher,  Mr.  S.  L.  Keels,  who 
afterwards  baptized  him  and  became  his  lifelong 
friend,  young  Mayfield  did  good  work  under  his 
teacher  in  his  Blue-back  Speller.  In  1892  he  en- 
tered the  Ruston  Colored  Normal  School  under 
Professor  S.  A.  Williams.     After  four  years  of 


126     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

hard  study  he  graduated  with  honors.  He  first 
taught  a  little  summer  school  with  marked  suc- 
cess. After  closing  this  school  term  he  went  to 
Pine  Bluff,  Ark.,  to  live  with  his  cousin.  By  his 
diligence  to  Sunday-school  and  church  work  he 
won  the  admiration  of  the  Arkansas  people.  He 
attended  an  Arkansas  Summer  Normal  in  June, 
1897,  and  took  examination,  making  second  grade. 
Many  of  the  young  men  did  not  know  he  was  a 
teacher  until  he  came  to  the  Brick  Yard  (where 
he  had  been  working  with  them)  to  bid  them 
gcod-bye  to  take  leave  for  his  Summer  School. 

In  the  fall  of  1897,  the  Ebenezer  Baptist 
Church  desired  him  to  build  a  school  for  the  Bap- 
tists in  and  around  Homer,  La.,  since  they  were 
denied  the  privilege  of  taking  shares  in  a  move- 
ment which  afterwards  became  the  C.  M.  E.  Col- 
lege. The  Baptists  called  for  a  man  to  be  their 
Moses  in  this  undertaking.  ■  Professor  S.  A.  Wil- 
liams, principal  Ruston  Colored  Normal  Institute, 
answered  the  call  by  recommending  Brother  May- 
field  as  the  man.  Bishop  Mayfield  was  accepted 
and  the  work  was  begun  January,  1898.  His 
first  whole  session  ended  1899,  at  which  time  he 
was  able  to  build  a  small  house  for  the  public 
school.  His  ability  to  pass  examinations  soon 
won  for  him  the  principalship  of  the  cfty  public 
school,  and  today  he  is  among  the  best  first- 
grade  teachers  in  the  state. 

He  married  Miss  S.  P.  Legardy  in  1901.  Dur- 
ing this  same  year  he  entered  the  ministry  and 
was  called  to  pastor  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
of  Homer,  where  he  yet  pastors  (1913).  In  1905 
he  entered  the  Moody  Institute  and  Wendell  Phil- 
lips Schools,  Chicago,  111.  After  accomplishing 
much  at  these  schools  he  took  up  study  at  Vir- 
ginia Union  University,  Richmond,  Va.,  in  1906. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  m  America.       127 

After  studying  here  two  years  he  was  compelled 
to  return  to  his  work  at  Homer,  La.,  where  he 
is  now  accomplishing  much  as  a  church  and 
school  builder,  having-  founded  and  built  up  the 
Homer  Normal,  Industrial  and  Bible  Training 
School. 

BISHOP  P.  B.  LEWIS,  A  GREAT  PREACHER  AND 
CHURCH  BUILDER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  son  of  the  late 
Bishop  G.  C.  Lewis  and  Mrs.  Sallie  Lewis.  He 
was  born  in  Lincoln  Parish  March  8,  1872.  When 
young  Lewis  was  9  years  old  his  father  died.  The 
mother  and  children  were  cared  for  the  next  five 
years  by  Brother  Lewis'  grandparents,  Elder 
Kichard  Johnson  and  his  wife,  Mahalia.  Bishop 
Lewis  entered  school  when  very  young,  but  con- 
ditions were  such  that  he  could  not  remain. 

At  the  early  age  of  14  he  took  charge  of  his 
mother's  business,  and  managed  it  like  a  man  for 
the  following  eight  years,  until  she  married  the 
second  time.  This  brother  was  converted  and 
notified  of  his  call  at  the  early  age  of  16.  He 
joined  the  Liberty  Hill  Baptist  Church,  of  which 
he  is  now  a  member  (1913).  Shortly  after  join- 
ing the  church  he  was  elected  Sunday-school 
teacher,  Mr.  D.  S.  Hollis  being  superintendent. 
During  his  twelve  years  of  service  in  this  school 
he  won  the  admiration  and  esteem  of  all. 

He  courted  and  married  one  of  North  Louisi- 
ana's girls,  Miss  Delia  Hill.  Their  union  has 
been  blessed  by  some  of  the  best  and  most  God- 
fearing children  in  the  state.  In  1901  Bishop 
Lewis  was  elected  Missionary  of  the  Liberty  Hill 
Sunday-School  Association,  and  in  1902  he  was 
ordained  to  the  gospel  ministry.     When  the  As- 


128    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

sociation  wanted  a  competent  and  energetic  mis- 
sionary in  1903,  Brother  Lewis  was  elected  as 
that  man.  These  positions  he  filled  both  with 
credit  to  himself  and  denomination. 

His  usefulness  as  a  pastor  began  in  1904  with 
his  call  to  Gethsemane  Baptist  Church,  Wise,  La., 
a  church  of  a  very  small  membership.  After 
about  five  months  of  successful  service  he  re- 
signed and  accepted  Providence  Baptist  Church, 
Hico,  La.,  and  in  September  of  the  same  year  he 
was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  Pleasant  Groove 
Baptist  Church,  Unionville,  La.  He  is  now 
(1912)  Vice  Moderator  of  Liberty  Hill  Associa- 
tion and  pastor  of  the  following  churches :  Mace- 
donia No.  2,  Chodrant,  La.;  Lane  Chapel,  Dovvns- 
ville,  La. ;  Gumspring,  Farmersville,  La.,  and  St. 
John,  Lillie,  La.  Elder  Lewis,  though  young  in 
the  ministry,  is  one  of  our  most  successful  pas- 
tors. 

Feeling  keenly  the  need  of  knowing  more,  he 
entered  Coleman  College,  Gibsland,  La.,  January, 
1906.  He  has  not  only  been  in  training  here  him- 
self, but  has  moved  his  entire  family  to  Gibsland, 
bought  a  home  adjacent  to  the  college  that  his 
family  with  him  might  drink  of  the  educational 
waters.  He  was  a  successful  theological  student 
here  under  the  writer,  at  one  time,  generally 
leading  his  classes.  President  Coleman,  faculty 
and  student  body  esteem  him  highly.  President 
Coleman  said  of  him :  "He  is  a  born  preacher, 
a  profound  thinker  and  he  believes  in  preaching 
the  gospel  to  the  people — just  what  they  need  to 
make  them  better  and  not  what  they  want  to 
make  them  feel  good  in  their  sins."  Bro.  Lewis 
believes  in  an  applied  education,  an  education 
that  is  known  and  then  expressed  in  terms  of 
real  service.     His   interest  is  alive  in  the  com- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      129 

munities  in  which  he  preaches,  doing  all  in  the 
matter  of  helping  the  schools  of  his  church  com- 
munities. He  says:  "Save  the  children."  The 
writer  has  known  Bishop  Lewis  as  a  student  per- 
sonally and  takes  pleasure  in  saying  that  for  ve- 
racity and  Christian  integrity  he  has  but  few 
equals  and  no  superiors  in  the  Louisiana  minis- 
try. 

ELDER  JACKSON  J.  FULLER,  NOTED  FOR  HIS 
PIETY  AND  INTEGRITY. 

The  minister  whose  name  appears  above  was 
born  in  South  Carolina  in  1852  a  slave  and  of 
slave  parents.  Elder  Carolina  Fuller  and  Mrs. 
Patsy  Fuller.  He  was  sold  and  brought  to 
Louisiana  in  1857.  An  old  colored  lady,  Mrs. 
Lizzie  Brooks,  advised  him  in  1867  to  get  a  book, 
assuring  him  if  he  would  she  would  teach  him. 
True  to  her  promise  she  taught  him  his  first  let- 
ters, and  from  that  time  he  was  able  to  see  the 
need  of  education  and  became  very  anxious  to 
know  more  and  more.  He  heard  of  Mr.  Wm. 
Brown  and  Mr.  M.  V.  B.  Brown,  who  were  teach- 
ing a  night  school  and  Sunday-school  about  four 
miles  away,  but  because  he  meant  business  four 
miles  was  no  distance  for  him  to  walk  and  bow 
at  the  feet  of  these  two  Gamaliels.  Here  with 
Blue-back  Speller  in  hand  he  received  much  of 
his  educational  foundation,  upon  which  his  phe- 
nomenal success  now  stands. 

He  courted  and  married  Miss  Harriet  John- 
son. Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  four- 
teen children — ten  boys  and  four  girls.  In  his 
endeavor  to  give  his  children  some  education, 
Christian  home  training  and  some  land  he  was 
compelled  to  deprive  himself  of  further  study  in 


PRINCIPAL  R.  E.  JACOBS, 
of  Sabine  Normal  and  Indusirhu  Institute. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      131 

the  school  room.  Being  pushful  he  studied  at 
home  by  the  light  of  the  old-time  tallow  candle 
and  pine-knot,  and  made  his  way  to  the  front. 

Elder  and  Sister  Fuller  feel  grateful  to  God  for 
giving  them  so  many  smart  children  with  whom 
they  worked  and  paid  for  more  than  800  acres 
of  Louisiana's  best  land.  Bishop  Fuller  was 
converted  and  baptized  into  the  membership  of 
the  Mt.  Moriah  Baptist  Church,  Kingston,  La., 
in  1882.  Shortly  after  he  was  notified  of 
his  call  to  preach  the  everlasting  gospel 
of  God's  dear  Son.  After  making  this  fact 
known,  his  church  voted  him  license  to  preach 
wherever  Providence  might  direct.  A  very 
short  while  after  Elder  Carolina  Fuller,  pastor 
of  the  above-named  church,  was  called  to  his  re- 
ward in  Heaven.  Bishop  Fuller  was  elected  to 
succeed  his  father  to  the  pastorate,  and  June  1, 
1887,  he  was  ordained  by  the  following  Elders: 
C.  S.  Shelton,  Charley  Boykin,  S.  S.  Fuller  and 
Nathaniel  Oliver.  He  has  pastored  this  church 
successfully  from  that  day  to  this    (1913). 

He  has  held  and  now  holds  some  of  the  high- 
est positions  in  the  gift  of  his  brethren,  being  at 
this  time  shepherd  of  some  of  the  state's  best 
churches;  and  at  the  death  of  Bishop  Gant  his. 
brethren  lifted  him  to  the  Moderator's  chair  of 
the  Northwest  Association  No.  2.  He  presides 
over  this  body  with  credit,  having  succeeded  him- 
self many  times.  Brother  Fuller  has  made  a 
record  as  a  Christian,  a  husband  and  leader. 

BISHOP  A.  B.  FLOOD,  A  GREAT  LEADER  AND 
PREACHER. 

Of  the  many  great  men  born  in  the  state  of 
Virginia,  none  are  greater  than  Bishop   Flood. 


132     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

He  was  born  in  1855.  Shortly  after  the  death 
of  his  father,  in  Washington,  D.  C,  he  was 
brought  with  other  slaves  to  the  state  of  Alabama 
at  the  early  age  of  six  years.  He  was  reared  in 
this  state  near  Uniontown,  and  while  in  slavery 
was  owned  by  a  Mr.  W.  H.  Taylor.  Being  a 
slave  he  had  meager  opportunities  to  learn,  but 
whenever  a  chance  to  learn  came  his  way  he 
would  seize  it. 

In  1871  he  was  converted  and  baptized  into 
the  membership  of  the  First  Colored  Baptist 
Church  of  Uniontown,  Alabama,  by -Bishop  John 
Dozier,  D.  D.  Brother  Flood  left  Alabama  in 
1874,  removing  to  Louisiana,  where  he  was  ad- 
mitted .to  membership,  by  letter,  to  the  Cloudy 
Creek  baptist  Church,  Elder  H.  A.  Scates,  pas- 
tor. The  church  being  impressed  by  his  knowl- 
edge of  his  call  to  preach,  licensed  him  in  1881. 
After  the  death  of  Elder  Scates  the  church  elect- 
ed him  pastor  in  1882.  March  19th,  1875,  he 
married  Miss  Emma  R.  Bolden. 

Bishop  Flood  was  continuously  in  the  pastorate 
for  more  than  27  years.  During  this  time  he 
served  the  Tenth  District  Association  as  Mis- 
sionary for  two  years;  and  also  two  years  as 
Treasurer.  The  efficient  service  rendered  by  him 
in  these  offices  won  for  him  the  abiding  respect 
of  his  brethren.  In  1892  when  they  found  their 
Moderator's  chair  vacant  and  that  they  needed  a 
man  who  would 

"Dare  to  be  a  Daniel, 

-Dare  to  stand  alone, 

Dare  to  have  a  purpose  true 

And  dare  to  make  it  known," 

they  found  such  a  man  in  the  person    of    Elder 

Auder  Back  Flood,  whom  they  elected  Moderator. 

He  filled  this  office  with  credit  to  himself  and  de- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      133 

nomination  until  he  left  to  join  the  Great  Asso- 
ciation on  High.  He  served  as  President  of  the 
Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention  creditably 
seven  years  and  four  months.  This  was  the  high- 
est position  within  the  gift  of  his  brethren.  Both 
his  District  and  the  Convention  wrought  well  un- 
der his  leadership. 

The  successful  operation  of  an  excellent  Dis- 
trict High  School  at  Monroe,  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Prof.  M.  J.  Foster,  B.  A.,  and  the  har- 
mony prevailing  throughout  his  District  attest 
the  fact  that  he  had  marked  executive  ability. 
Elder  Flood  was  indeed  a  great  preacher  and 
builder,  having  erected  five  houses  of  worship  at 
a  cost  of  from  $500  to  $5,000.  He  baptized  2,100 
souls  and  married  about  350  couples.  Sometime 
after  his  wife's  death,  he  was  joined  in 
holy  wedlock  to  Mrs.  Ella  A.  Rushing,  one  of 
Louisiana's  best  women.  They  lived  happily  to- 
gether until  he  heard  the  blessed  applaudit  "Well 
done,  thou  good  and  faithful  servant,  thou  hast 
been  faithful  over  a  few  things,  I  will  make  thee 
ruler  over  many  things,  enter  thou  into  the  joys 
of  thy  Lord." 

BISHOP  VV.  B.  PURVIS,  A  FORCEFUL  AND  PROGRESSIVE 
PREACHER. 

Brother  Purvis  is  one  of  our  best  young  minis- 
ters and  in  point  of  actual  service  is  surpassed  by 
none.  His  birthplace  is  Cotton  Port,  La.,  Avoy- 
elles Parish.  October  7,  1870,  is  the  date  of  his 
birth.     He  is  the  eldest  son  of  a  large  family. 

Although  his  parents  were  ex-slaves,  deprived 
themselves  of  education,  their  ignorance  was  no 
barrier  to  their  determination  to  have  their  chil- 


134     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

dren  educated.  As  early  as  they  could  they 
started  the  children  to  school.  The  subject  of 
our  sketch,  having-  finished  fairly  well  the  pre- 
scribed course  of  study  in  the  public  schools  of 
his  parish,  was,  through  the  advice  of  Professor 
Jonas  Henderson  and  Sister  J.  P.  Moore,  sent  to 
other  schools.  Much  of  his  education  was  re- 
ceived at  the  Alexandria  Academy  and  Leland 
University.  At  the  early  age  of  19,  he  began 
teaching  and  in  this  way  helped  to  keep  him- 
self in  school.  He  went  to  North  Louisiana  in 
1892,  and  while  there  he  was  urged  to  buy  a  farm 
for  the  family,  which  he  did.  This  broke  into 
his  plans  for  going  to  school. 

At  this  time  (December  12,  1895,)  he  married 
Miss  Jennie  Lee,  one  of  the  state's  best  women. 
A  little  more  than  a  year  before  this  time  he  had 
been  ordained,  having  been  converted  and  noti- 
fied of  his  call  to  preach  Christ.  His  first  call 
to  the  pastorate  came  to  him  from  the  St.  Paul 
Baptist  Church,  Pelican,  La.  The  next  "Mace- 
donian cry"  came  from  Saline  Baptist  Church, 
Converse,  La.,  where  he  labored  successfully  un- 
til the  spring  of  1902.  In  1900,  being  urged  by 
the  members  of  his  church,  he  moved  into  this 
community  and  started  a  school  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Farmers'  Union.  From  this  work 
sprang  the  Sabine  Industrial  Institute,  one  of  the 
best  schools  in  the  state. 

When  his  wife  left  him  for  Heaven  in  1901,  he 
resigned  this  work  and  re-entered  school.  Cole- 
man College  became  the  school  of  his  choice, 
from  which  he  graduated  with  honors.  While 
here  at  College  he  was  called  to  be  overseer  of 
Republican  Baptist  Church,  Furrh,  La.,  and  St. 
Peter  Baptist  Church,  Pelican,  La.  He  was  also 
elected  Sunday-School  State  Missionary  and  Col- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      135 

pc  ter  for  the  American  Baptist  Publication  So- 
ciety, which  positions  he  ably  filled. 

On  June  25th,  1903,  he  married  Miss  Salina 
Joseph,  a  graduate  of  Leland  University.  Their 
union  has  been  blessed  with  four  boys.  Bishop 
Purvis  has  a  good  home  at  Pelican,  La.,  and  owns 
valuable  property  elsewhere.  He  is  now  (1911) 
serving  two  churches  where  he  has  been  for 
ten  years,  and  is  also  the  pastor  of  the  church 
that  had  him  ordained.  Elder  Purvis  holds  the 
following  positions:  President  Northwest  No.  2 
S.  S.  Association,  principal  Pleasant  Hill  Colored 
School,  Corresponding  Secretary  Northwest  No. 
2  Association,  and  Corresponding  Secretary  of 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention.  Among 
the  ministerial  stars  that  shine  in  the  sky  of  the 
Louisiana  ministry,  none  has  dispersed  more 
light  in  the  given  time  than  Brother  Purvis.  He 
is  not  a  "reactionary"  but  a  "standpatter"  when 
it  comes  to  defending  "the  faith  which  was  once 
delivered  unto  the  saints."  Bishop  Purvis  is 
highly  respected  and  esteemed  by  his  brethren 
throughout  the  state.  He  is  a  wise  counsellor, 
formidable  in  debate  and  powerful  in  the  pulpit. 

BISHOP  W.  M.  TAYLOR,  ONE  OF  THE  MOST  ELOQUENT 
OF  LOUISIANA  PREACHERS. 

In  the  Parish  of  East  Baton  Rouge,  Septem- 
ber' 17,  1867,  there  was  born  a  preacher  who  was 
named  Washington  M.  Taylor.  His  parents, 
though  ex-slaves,  were  much  interested  in  their 
son's  education,  and  sent  him  to  the  Parish  Pub- 
lic School.  Here  he  showed  a  keen  desire  for 
knowledge  and  won  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
schoolmates  and  teachers.  He  was  converted 
and  notified  of  his  call  to  the  ministry  at  the  age 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      137 

of  17  years.  Elder  Hannibal  Williams  baptized 
him  into  the  membership  of  the  Mt.  Zion  Baptist 
Church,  Baton  Rouge,  La.  Feeling  very  keenly 
his  need  of  preparation  to  preach,  he  began  sav- 
ing his  earnings,  and  in  due  time  entered  Leland 
University  and  became  a  diligent  student.  While 
here  at  Leland  he  accomplished  much,  but  on  ac- 
count of  the  urgent  request  of  his  people  that  he 
take  up  some  work  at  home,  he  was  compelled  to 
leave  before  finishing  his  course. 

He  was  licensed  to  preach  January  21,  1893, 
and  six  months  thereafter  was  called  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  Morning  Star  Baptist  Church.  His; 
success  with  this  church  moved  New  Rising  Suni 
Baptist  Church  to  call  him  also.  More  well-done 
work  added  to  his  list  of  churches  the  Ebenezer 
Baptist  Church.  When  Elder  Hannibal  Wil- 
liams, pastor  of  the  "Big"  Mt.  Zion  Baptist 
Church,  went  to  his  reward  his  pastoral  mantle 
fell  upon  Brother  Taylor.  Accordingly  he  was 
elected  January  6,  1901.  He  entered  this  new 
field  with  a  strong  determination  to  win.  How 
well  he  has  done  is  told  by  the  work  he  has  ac- 
complished Here.  In  1909  he  received  a  call  to 
another  Baton  Rouge  church,  Jerusalem.  Per- 
haps no  pastor  in  the  state  presides  over  more 
people  than  Elder  Taylor.  He  is  now  (1910) 
serving  his  fifth  term  as  Moderator  of  the  Fourth 
District  Association.  He  resigned  recently  but 
after  his  successor  had  ruled  only  a  short  while 
he  was  reelected. 

His  District  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  state, 
and  operates  one  of  our  leading  Baptist  schools, 
the  Baton  Rouge  College.  The  building  is  a 
large  brick  structure.  Bishop  Taylor  traveled 
and  lectured  no  little  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  his  District  in  the  interest  of     this 


138     History  of  Louisiana  Negr     Baptist*. 

School.  In  1907  he  wa&  elected.  Vice  Pres  dent  of 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention,  and 
when  Llder  Flood  went  to  Heaven  succeeded  to 
the  presidency.  Brother  Taylor  is  a  man  of  keen 
perception  and  lofty  ambition,  possessing  many 
winning  traits.  His  life  is  not  an  empty  shadow, 
but  a  real  line  of  thoughts  and  deeds.  He  can 
easily  preach  to  his  people  both  of  a  home  on 
earth  and  a  home  in  Heaven,  since  he  owns  sev- 
e  al  houses  and  lots  in  Baton  Rouge.  He  has  a 
nice  home,  his  wife  being  a  graduate  of  the  Baton 
Rouge  College.  As  a  speaker  this  cleroyman  is 
logical  in  his  reasoning  and  witty  in  h;s  argu- 
ment. He  swayed  the  great  National  Baptist 
Convention  in  session  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  like  a 
mighty  tempest  swavs  a  forest,  when  on  behalf 
of  his  state  with  pleasing  manners  and  persua- 
sive eloquence  he  delivered  the  invitation  invit- 
ing the  greatest  body  of  religious  workers  in, the 
world  to  meet  (1910)  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans, 
La.  He  sweot  this  great  body,  so  to  speak,  from 
its  feet  and  forced  it  to  cry  out,  saying,  in  sub- 
stance, "we  are  willing,  we  are  coming,  Father 
Abraham,  2,500,000  strong."  Bishop  Taylor,  be- 
ing comparatively  young,  has  a  great  future  be- 
fore him. 

ELDER  BRYANT  WRIGHT,  AN  HONORED  PIONEER 
PREACHER. 

Brother  Wright  is  among  the  oldest  pioneers 
of  the  state.  He  was  born  in  Montgomery 
County,  Alabama,  December  2,  1837.  He  has  the 
following  to  say  concerning  his  early  start  in 
preaching:  "When  I  was  six  years  old  the  white 
people  gave  me  a  suit  of  clothes  for  preaching. 
They  saw  in  me  the  work  of  the  ministry."  When 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      139 

Elder  Bryant  was  only  17  years  old  he  was  fully 
inducted  into  the  ministerial  fold.  Leaving  Ala- 
bama he  came  to  Louisiana,  and  took  his  place 
among  the  first  gospel  preachers  of  the  state. 
He  not  only  did  pioneer  work  in  Louisiana,  but 
pushed  his  way  into  Texas;  and  in  those  early, 
perilous  times  preached  the  Word  with  power 
and  demonstration  at  Marshall,  Marion  County,, 
and  Douglass  Mill,  Ark.  He  preached  the  Word 
with  much  acceptance  along  the  Red  River  coast 
at  Alexandria  and  other  points,  on  steam  boats, 
and  on  land,  thereby  setting  up  several  of  the 
state's  first  churches.  Elder  Wright,  like  many 
others  of  our  pioneer  fathers,  did  great  and  abid- 
ing work. 

He  organized  many  of  the  first  Sunday-schools, 
and  therefore  stands  among  the  first  Sunday- 
school  superintendents,  thus  opening  the  door  for 
the  young  superintendent  of  today.  In  those 
early  times  many  souls  were  converted  unto  God 
through  his  preaching,  and  baptized  into  the 
membership  of  the  state's  first  churches.  On 
one  occasion  at  the  risk  of  his  life  he  broke  the 
ice  in  December,  plunged  into  the  icy  waters  and 
baptized  five  happy  souls.  On  another  occasion 
for  preaching  and  standing  for  what  he  preached 
his  life  was  threatened.  He  says:  "One  man 
made  three  shots  at  me  and  never  hit  me,  and 
walked  off  a  piece  and  said,  'I  will  kill  you.'  I 
told  him  to  shoot  ahead.  His  will  was  my  pleas- 
ure." This  veteran  was  hidden  behind  "The 
Blood,"  and  was  safely  wrapped  in  the  folds  of 
The  Blood-Stained  Banner,"  and  could  not  be 
shot.  He  was  protected  (Matt.  18:6).  He  ac- 
complished much  in  his  day. 


140    History  of  Louisiana  Negrc  Baptists. 


ELDER   A.    H.   SAMUELS,   ELOQUENT   PREACHER   AND 
VETERAN  EDITOR. 

May  15,  1857,  in  Desota  Parish,  Louisiana, 
there  was  born  Elder  Andrew  Henry  Samuels, 
son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cato  Samuels. 

The  real  progress  of  Bishop  Samuels  began 
with  his  conversion.  Like  Isaiah,  a  live  coal 
touched  his  tongue  when  he  realized  his  call  to 
tell  the  "Story  of  the  Cross."  This  he  has  been 
doing  with  power  and  telling  effect.  In  the  Thir- 
teenth District  he  is  known  as  the  "Silver-Tongue 
Orator."  Being  born  a  slave,  his  opportunities 
for  schooling  were  few,  but  by  dint  of  persever- 
ance in  study  he  has  pushed  on  and  today  stands 
among  the  denominational  leaders  in  the  state. 

He  was  ordained  in  1888,  and  since  that  time 
has  served  with  marked  success  the  following 
churches:  St.  Rest  Baptist  Church,  St.  Luke  Bap- 
tist Church,  Red  Chute  Baptist  Church  and  Wil- 
low Chute  Baptist  Church,  Shreveport,  La.,  and 
Union  Mission  Baptist  Church,  Waskom,  Texas. 
He  has  been  managing-editor  of  the  News  En- 
terprise for  years.  He  is  and  has  been  deeply 
interested  in  the  education  of  the  children  of  his 
race.  Like  a  stone  wall  Bishop  Samuels  stood 
with  the  writer  and  others  in  the  work  of  found- 
ing and  developing  the  Thirteenth  District 
Academy.  There  was  not  a  man  in  the  District 
who  held  the  principal's  arm  higher  than  did 
Elder  Samuels.  He  has  been  chairman  of  the 
Education  Board  for  more  than  fifteen  years. 

In  1875  he  and  Miss  Esther  Chew  were  united 
in  holy  wedlock.  Through  life's  combats  and 
shifting  scenes,  they  have  guarded  the  matri- 
monial vow  and  today  (1914)  are  together  in 
their  cozy  little  home  on  Christian  street,  Shreve- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      141 

1 

port,  La.,  in  which  city  he  has  lived  for  thirty- 
six  years,  enjoying  the  confidence  and  respect  of 
his  white  and  colored  friends.  The  St.  Rest  Bap- 
tist Church  edifice,  the  last  church  building  erect- 
ed by  Brother  Samuels,  is  one  of  the  most  beau- 
tiful frame  buildings  in  the  state — "a  thing  of 
beauty  and  a  joy  forever." 

Bishop  Samuels  has  been  recently  elected  Mod- 
erator of  the  Thirteenth  District  Association, 
one  of  our  largest  associations.  He  gives  prom- 
ise of  much  more  usefulness. 

ELDER  FRANCIS  JAMES  DAVIDSON,  PREACHER  AND 
EDITOR. 

This  veteran  preacher  and  editor  was  born  of 
Mr.  Nero  and  Mrs.  Malinda  Davidson,  October 
31,  1862,  at  Nealsboro,  Rapides  Parish,  Louisi- 
ana. The  first  school  he  attended  was  in  a  lit- 
tle log  cabin  M.  E.  Church  on  Williamson's  Creek 
Parish  of  Rapides,  1869-72.  Next  he  attended  a 
public  school  at  Greenwood,  Laftlore  County, 
Miss.,  to  which  place  his  parents  moved  in  1873. 
Young  Davidson  also  attended  a  Missionary 
school  during  the  summer  months.  From  Green- 
wood he  removed  to  New  Orleans,  January,  1878, 
where  he  attended  night  school  at  Straight  Uni- 
versity. 

During  the  winter  of  1869,  Brother  Davidson 
was  converted  on  Williamson's  Creek  and  fol- 
lowed the  M.  E.  Church  regularly  although  he  re- 
fused to  join.  After  earnestly,  carefully  and 
prayerfully  reading  his  Bible,  he  became  con- 
vinced that  the  Baptist  way  was  the  right  way, 
and  in  1878  was  baptized  into  the  membership 
of  St.  Mark  Fourth  Baptist  Church,  New  Orleans, 
by  Bishop  R.  H.  Steptoe.     Impressed  of  his  call 


-.  a 


<  O 

S  9 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      143 

to  the  ministry  he  began  the  work  of  prepara- 
tion. He  studied  under  Dr.  H.  C.  Green,  Presi- 
dent Bothwell  of  Columbia  University,  attended 
theological  lectures  delivered  by  the  late  Presi- 
dent E.  C.  Mitchell,  of  Leland  University;  later 
he  studied  under  J.  Lewis  Smith,  A.  M.,  D.  D., 
LL.  D.,  and  attended  the  Washington  University, 
Tacoma,  Wash. 

Bishop  Davidson  has  held  the  following 
churches:  St.  John,  Dorseyville,  La.;  St.  Mat- 
thew, New  Orleans,  La.,  1889-1902 ;  First  Baptist 
Church,  Mandeville,  La.;  Starlight,  Slidell,  La.; 
Zion,  Ponchatoula,  La.;  Olivet,  Tacoma,  Wash.; 
Mt.  Herob,  Greenville,  Miss.,  1905;  First  Bap- 
tist, Cairo,  111.,  1907;  Centralia,  Centralia,  111., 
1908;  First  Baptist,  Metropolis,  111.;  Trinity, 
Shreveport,  1910;  Shiloh,  Alexandria,  La.  He 
now  pastors  at  Leesville,  La.  Elder  Davidson 
has  edited  the  following  papers :  The  Teller,  1890 ; 
the  New  Orleans  Tribune,  1891-1902;  Tacoma 
Tribune,  1903-04;  the  Bulletin,  Greenville,  Miss., 
1905-06;  the  Tribune,  Centralia,  111.,  1908-09; 
The  Christian  Herald,  Mound  City,  111.,  1909-10, 
and   Louisiana  Baptist,   1910-11. 

As  a  preacher  Dr.  Davidson  is  fearless  and 
progressive  and  preaches  "a  what  saith  the  Lord" 
Gospel.  As  an  editor  and  writer  he  is  conscien- 
tious and  bold.  In  the  language  of  the  lamented 
Dr.  Wm.  J.  Simons,  "Some  men  are  often  brave 
from  experience  with  arms  and  the  scenes  of  war ; 
others  because  of  the  recklessness  of  life,  and  a 
dare-devil  spirit,  and  still  others  are  born  for 
'deeds  of  bravery  and  glide  easily  to  places  of 
danger  as  if  led  by  unerring  instinct;  they  are 
bold,  aggressive,  determined  and  venturesome." 
Such  a  man  as  the  last  is  Bishop  Davidson,  when 
it  comes  to  driving  the  quill.     "When  editing  the 


144     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

New  Orleans  Tribune,  he  was  the  gamest  Negro 
editor  in  Louisiana.  He  has  and  is  accomplish- 
ing much. 

BISHOP  SOLOMON  TRUMBULL  CLANTON,  A.  M.,  D.  D., 
A  TEACHER   OF  PREACHERS. 

Dr.  Clanton  was  born  at  Glenco,  La.,  March 
27,  1857.  His  parents  were  Mr.  Solomon  and 
Mrs.  Maria  Clanton.  After  his  conversion  he 
was  baptized  into  the  membership  of  the  Auster- 
litz  Street  Baptist  Church  by  Elder  George  W. 
Walker. 

His  parents  being  unable  to  help  him  all  the 
way  through  school,  he  began  in  early  life  to  help 
himself.  He  trusted  God  and  worked  his  way 
through  New  Orleans  University,  graduating 
with  honors  from  the  B.  A.  degree  Course  in 
1878.  After  holding  a  professorship  in  Leland 
University  1878-80,  he  entered  the  Baptist  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  Chicago,  111.,  graduating 
therefrom  in  1883  from  the  B.  D.  degree  Course. 

Being  conscious  of  a  call  to  the  ministry, 
Bishop  Clanton  made  same  known  to  his  breth- 
ren and  was  ordained  in  1881  in  the  Olivet  Bap- 
tist Church,  Chicago,  111.,  by  the  following 
Bishops:  T.  J.  Morgan,  Richard  DeBaptist,  E.  B. 
Hubbard,  Dean  of  Divinity  School,  University  of 
Chicago,  Wm.  Laurence,  J.  T.  Burhoe,  George 
C.  Lorimer  and  J.  W.  Polk.  Dr.  J.  T.  Morgan 
was  chairman  of  Presbytery  and  Bishop  R.  De- 
Baptist,  clerk;  ordination  sermon  being  preached 
by  Dr.  Hubbard. 

After  returning  South  and  throwing  himself 
into  the  work  of  human  uplift,  Brother  Clanton 
pastored  the  following  churches:  Austerlitz 
Street  Baptist  Church,     1891-94,     and     Bethany 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.    '  145 

Baptist  Church,  New  Orleans,  La.  The  follow- 
ing positions  have  been  creditably  filled  by  him : 
Sunday-School  Missionary  of  American  Baptist 
Publication  Society,  1883-90;  District  Secretary 
of  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  1890- 
95.  This  secretaryship  covered  all  the  Gulf 
States.  He  rendered  valuable  service  both  to  the 
Society  and  his  denomination  while  filling  these 
positions.  This  is  not  all;  the  first  Secretary  of 
our  great  National  Baptist  Convention  was  Dr. 
Solomon  T.  Clanton,  being  elected  at  the  Con- 
vention's organization,  August,  1886,  in  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  He  served  until 
1896.  He  was  elected  Recording  Secretary  of 
the  Foreign  Mission  Convention  in  1885  at  New 
Orleans,  La.,  and  continued  in  that  office  until 
1895  with  the  exception  of  one  year  (1887). 
1903-04  the  subject  of  this  sketch  served  as  prin- 
cipal and  chaplain  of  A.  &  M.  College,  Normal, 
Ala.  October  of  this  same  year  he  was  called 
to  the  principalship  of  Helena  Academy,  Helena. 
Ark.  After  working  for  some  time  as  Field  Sec- 
retary of  the  John  C.  Martin  Educational  Fund, 
he  was  called  to  the  Assistant  Deanship  of  The- 
ological School  at  Selma  University.  After  serv- 
ing in  this  capacity  under  Deans  W.  H.  McAl- 
pine,  Albert  F.  Owens  and  C.  0.  Booth,  Brother 
Clanton  succeeded  to  the  Deanship  in  1909  when 
Dr.  Booth  resigned.  At  this  time  (1914.)  he  is 
Vice  President  of  Selma  University. 

June  6,  1883,  he  was  joined  in  holy  wedlock  to 
Miss  Olive  Byrd,  of  Decatur,  111.  Eleven  children 
bless  this  union,  the  eldest  being  Miss  E.  M.  Clan- 
ton, stenographer  Houston  College;  Georgia  E. 
Clanton,  Benjamin  Griffith,  Attorney-at-Law ;  S. 
T.  Clanton,  Jr.,  Attorney-at-Law;  Johnetta  B. 
Clanton,  Music  Teacher  in  Western  College,  Ma- 


146    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

con,  Mo.;  Dwight  Lorimer  ClantonJ  Jannitta  B. 
Clanton,  Robert  Stewart,  Pheobe  Nan  and  two 
others  who  have  gone  before. 

The  Louisiana  Baptist  brotherhood  will  always 
think  kindly  of  Dr.  Clanton  for  services  rendered. 
For  years  he  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  the 
early  state  leaders.  Such  men  as  Bishops  John 
Marks,  A.  S.  Jackson,  A.  R.  Blunt,  J.  M.  Carter, 
H#  B.  N.  Brown  and  others. 

BISHOP  WARNER  WASHINGTON  HILL,  A  PROGRESSIVE 
YOUNG  PREACHER. 

Elder  Hill  is  a  great  church  builder,  because 
God  has  used  him  to  preach  men  and  women  out 
of  darkness  into  light,  and  he  is  a  church  house 
builder,  because  through  his  leadership  and  man- 
agement beautiful  church  edifices  have  been 
erected.  Our  brother  was  born  of  Mr.  Warner 
and  Mrs.  Angeline  Hill  in  Franklin  Parish,  La., 
March  10,  1870.  His  parents  were  Alabamians 
from  Sumpter  County  near  Gainsville,  being  sold 
into  Louisiana  before  the  war.  Bishop  Hill's 
father  was  an  unusually  bright  slave,  serving  his 
young  master  as  secretary  and  Negro  driver  until 
freedom  came.  He  then  began  to  accumulate 
property  and  help  in  the  establishment  of  pub- 
lic schools  for  his  race.  Being  a  leader  of  his 
people  during  those  dark  and  perilous  times,  he 
was  elected  to  the  State  Legislature. 

But  this  father  who  was  bent  on  educating  his 
son  was  called  to  his  reward  when  Elder  Hill 
was  but  12  years  of  age.  His  prop  having  gone, 
young  Hill  began  at  once  to  apply  himself,  to 
study  as  best  he  could,  taking  lessons  from  any 
one  able  to  teach  who  would  come  his  way.  In 
church  work  he  was  apt  and  studious,  doing  with 


148     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

a .  will  whatever  his  hands  found  to  do.  After 
his  conversion  and  baptism  in  1889  he  was  added 
to  the  True  Vine  Baptist  Church,  Bishop  H.  R. 
Flynn,  pastor,  Delhi,  La.  Realizing  his  call  to 
preach,  an  insatiable  appetite  for  Bible  reading 
seized  him,  and  he  read  the  Bible  through  twice. 
Since  his  ordination  by  the  Tenth  District  As- 
sociation, fifteen  churches  have  honored  h^m  with 
calls.  He  served  as  President  of  the  Sunday- 
School  Association  and  District  Missionary  for 
three  years.  After  Elder  Wm.  Hamilton  went  to 
his  reward,  the  Zion  Travelers  Baptist  Church, 
Monroe,  La.,  called  him  to  its  pastorate.  Since 
entering  upon  this  work  he  has  spent  five  years 
in  the  Tenth  District  High  School,  graduating 
therefrom  with  honors.  For  more  than  eight 
years  he  has  pastored  this  church  successfully, 
and  enjoys  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  both 
races  at  Monroe  and  his  brethren  throughout  the 
state. 

He  succeeded  the  lamented  Bishop  A.  B.  Flooa 
to  the  Moderatorship  of  the  Tenth  District  Asso- 
ciation. He  has  filled  this  office  creditably,  taking 
up  the  work  where  Brother  Flood  left  off  and 
carrying  it  on  toward  perfection.  During  his 
short  term  of  office  more  than  $3,000  were  raised 
and  a  debt  of  15  years'  standing  against  the  Dis- 
trict School  liquidated.  Brother  Hill  is  among 
the  youngest  District  Moderators  of  the  state. 
His  work  places  him  among  the  highest  minis- 
terial stars  of  the  state. 

BISHOP  C.  S.  COLLINS,  A.   B.,  M.  D.,  PREACHER  AND 
PHYSICIAN. 

Of  Mr.  Thomas  and  Mrs.  Amelia  Collins,  Dr. 
Collins  was  born  in  Houma,  La.,  March  12,  1867. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       149 


Though  his  school  facilities  were  meager,  his 
parents  were  proud  of  their  boy  and  did  what 
they  could  to  train  his  mind,  heart  and  hand. 

Accordingly  they  sent  him  to  a  Terrabone 
Parish  public  school,  where  he  studied  until  he 
entered  Leland  University,  where  he  graduated 
with  the  writer  and  others  from  the  Normal 
Course,  May,  1893,  under  the  world-renowned 
scholar,  Dr.  E.  C.  Mitchell.  Not  contented,  he 
continued  his  voyage  on  the  scholastic  sea  until 
he  finished  the  highest  course  at  the  University, 
thus  graduating  Bachelor  of  Arts.  This  did  not 
satisfy  his  intellectual  longing  because  he  entered 
Flint  Medical  College,  New  Orleans,  La.,  where 
he  won  the  M.  D.  degree,  1910.  It  is  clear  that 
while  this  young  man  has  waited  on  the  Lord,  it 
is  evident  that  he  has  "hustled"  while  he  waited. 

In  the  year  1886  he.  was  converted  and  added 
to  the  Litttle  Zion  Baptist  Church,  after  being 
baptized  by  Bishop  S.  T.  Smith.  He  at  once  be- 
came aggressive  and  progressive  in  church  work, 
and  was  notified  of  his  call  to  the  ministry.  His 
interest  in  the  education  of  his  race  was  attested 
by  well-done  work  as  Principal  of  Cheneyville 
Academy,  Cheneyville,  La.  He  held  this  position 
successfully  until  he  was  called  back  to  his  home 
town  (Houma)  to  take  charge  of  the  Boy's  High 
School  there.  After  making  good  in  this  work, 
Bishop  Collins  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  Mt. 
Zion  Baptist  Church,  Houma,  La.  His  election 
to  the  secretaryship  of  the  Fifth  District  Sunday- 
School  Association  and  to  the  presidency  of 
Houma  Academy  Educational  Board  prove  his 
standing  with  his  brethren  and  point  to  his  future 
usefulness. 


150     History  of  Louisiana  Negrr*  Baptists. 

ELDER  CAROLINER  FULLER,  A  VETERAN  OF 
PIONEER  DAYS. 

Far  back  in  the  darkness  of  American  slavery. 
Bishop  Fuller  was  born,  in  South  Carolina.  At 
an  early  age  he  was  baptized,  after  being  con- 
verted, and  joined  the  Missionary  Baptist  Church. 
Soon  afterwards  the  Spirit  notified  him  of  his 
call  to  preach  the  "Everlasting  Gospel." 

Convincing  the  Louisiana  brethren  of  his  call, 
by  actual  works,  Bishop  Scott  (white)  and  others 
crdained  him  to  take  charge  of  the  Mt.  Moriah 
Baptist  Church,  Kingston,  La.  Leading  this 
flock  onward  and  upward  he  was  called  to  pastor 
Mary  Evergreen  Baptist  Church,  Grand  Cane, 
La.,  and  also  Zion  Hill  Baptist  Church,  of  the 
same  town.  This  veteran  preacher  did  a  great 
work  back  there  in  those  pioneer  days,  his  fame 
as  a  preacher  of  power  spreading  the  country 
around. 

His  was  a  sainted  wife,  Mrs.  Patsy  Fuller. 
Their  union  was  blessed  with  a  number  of  chil- 
dren, most  prominent  of  whom  is  Bishop  Jack- 
son J.  Fuller  who,  like  his  sainted  father,  is  felt 
as  a  power  for  good  not  only  in  his  own  District, 
but  throughout  the  state.  This  man  of  God 
buried  hundreds  in  baptism,  celebrated  many 
marriages,  and  by  his  earnest  preaching  and 
Godly  life  led  a  multitude  to  Christ.  Too  much 
in  a  commendable  way  cannot  be  said  of  him  and 
all  the  other  pioneer  fathers  of  the  state. 

Elder  and  Sister  Fuller  carried  out  their  matri- 
monial contract  by  living  happily  together  until 
death  did  them  part.  Like  hundreds  of  others 
of  his  day,  Elder  Fuller,  under  very  adverse  cir- 
cumstances and  in  the  face  of  many  odds, 
"worked  the  work  of  him  that  sent  him,"  until 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      151 


he  was  called  from  earth  to  Heaven  August  26, 
1886,  his  wife  following  him  four  years  later  in 
1890. 

BISHOP   ALBERT    HENRY,   GUM    SPRING  ASSOCIATION 
MODERATOR. 

Brother  Henry  was  born  in  1868  of  Mr.  Char- 
ley and  Mrs.  Margret  Henry.  After  conversion, 
he  was  baptized  into  the  membership  of  the  Wood 
Chapel  Baptist  Church,  Cedartown,  La.  In  188? 
his  church  being  convinced  of  his  call  to  preach 
set  him  apart  to  the  work.  He  was  baptized  by 
■Elder  J.  H.  Jackson. 

Notwithstanding  his  educational  advantages 
were  meager,  he  had  enough  iron  in  his  blood  to 
push  himself  upward.  After  reaching  school  age  he 
picked  up  what  learning  he  could  here  and  there 
until  he  was  blessed  with  the  opportunity  to  en- 
ter Ruston  Normal  Institute,  where  he  studied 
hard  under  Professor  I.  S.  Powell,  B.  A.,  and 
graduated  from  the  Normal  Course  1904.  Prin- 
cipal Powell  has  the  following  to  say  of  him: 
"He  is  now  a  successful  minister  and  pastor,  hav- 
ing been  divinely  called  to  preach  the  gospel  and 
after  pastoring  several  churches  a  number  of 
years,  he  felt  it  necessary  to  make  fuller  prepa- 
ration for  his  calling.  He  therefore  entered  this 
school  where  he  applied  himself  zealously  and 
finally  graduated  withJionors.  He  was  the  first 
to  enroll  as  a  theological  student  when  that  de- 
partment was  attached  to  our  school,  and  studied 
God's  Word  faithfully  for  three  and  a  half  years. 
He  has  built  more  church  houses  than  any  other 
one  minister  in  this  section.  His  terms  of  pas- 
torate tell  how  successful  a  pastor  he  is,  having 
presided  over  one  church  23  years.  The  terms  of 
Iiis  other  churches  range  from  five  to  eight  years. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      153 

He  has  baptized  1,050  converts.  In  1905,  he  was 
elected  Moderator  of  the  Gum  Spring  Association 
and  has  presided  over  it  from  that  time  to  this 
(1913).  He  with  his  earnest  helpers  has  long- 
struggled  to  foster  education.  Through  his  in- 
fluence the  Association  has  adopted  this  school, 
and  under  his  leadership  with  the  co-operation  of 
his  staff  of  officers  and  with  God  as  the  sovereign 
power,  the  school  will  achieve  success." 

It  is  clear  from  Prof.  Powell's  statement  that 
Bishop  Henry  has  wrought  well  and  accomplished 
much  good  religiously,  having  served  his  brethren 
as  Secretary,  Treasurer  and  Moderator,  and  hav- 
ing served  the  following  churches:  Wpodlawn, 
Wood  Chapel,  Pine  Grove,  Hopewell,  Lincoln 
Parish ;  Hopewell,  Union  Parish ;  Blooming  Grove, 
Harmony,  Jerusalem,  Chapel  Hill,  Providence, 
St.  John,  Palestine  and  Pilgrim's  Rest. 

ELDER  LORENZO   SMITH,   A   PIONEER   OF    MUCH 

USEFULNESS. 

In  the  Parish  of  Caldwell,  1850,  Bishop  Lo- 
renzo Smith  was  born  of  Mr.  Nathaniel  and  Mrs. 
Amy  Smith.  Although  bound  by  the  ropes  of 
slavery,  these  parents  were  hopeful  of  their  son, 
and  perhaps  prayed  secretly  that  some  day  the 
shackles  would  be  broken  off  and  that  their  boy 
would  make  the  mark  he  has  made. 

When  Brother  Smith  reached  school  age  there 
were  no  schools  for  him  to  attend,  and  unlike 
the  Negro  boy  who  came  after  Lincoln  signed 
the  Emancipation  Proclamation,  he  had  to  start 
upward  without  a  single  ray  of  light  or  an  iota 
of  encouragement.  He  scuffled  along  as  best  he 
could,  studying  perhaps  at  night  by  light  from 
the  torch  and  the  pine  knot  until  he  learned  his 


154     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

letters.  After  the  war  he  entered  the  public 
school  and  there  got  a  little  more  preparation  for 
life. 

He  was  converted  in  1874  and  baptized  into  the 
membership  of  Raven  Camp  Baptist  Church  by 
Elder  Levy  Sawyer.  He  was  ordained  in  1881 
by  the  following-  bishops:  Thomas  E.  Harris, 
Thomas  Epps,  Thomas  Clark,  H.  K.  Barrett,  A. 
M.  Newman,  D.  D.,  Ed  Daniels  and  Joe  Wash- 
ington. Brother  Smith  is  one  of  the  most  active 
Louisiana  pioneer  preachers,  having  pastored  the 
following  churches:  St.  Paul  Baptist  Church,  St. 
Peter  Baptist  Church,  served  as  Vice  President 
State  Sunday-School  Convention  two  years;  Cor- 
responding Secretary  of  the  Eighth  District  Asso- 
ciation three  years;  Treasurer  Eighth  District 
Association  No.  2  thirteen  years;  and  now  (1913) 
President  Eighth  District  Sunday-School  Asso- 
ciation and  Moderator  of  Second  Eighth  District 
Association. 

He  has  done  well  in  the  matter  of  educating  his 
children.  IA11  of  them  are  won  to  Christ  save 
one ;  all  have  been  sent  to  school,  one  having  grad- 
uated from  the  B.  A.  degree  course  at  Leland 
University,  where  he  now  (1912)  holds  a  pro- 
fessorship. Bishop  Smith  has  given  more  than 
half  his  days  to  his  Master's  cause,  having  bap- 
tized more  than  850  souls  and  married  more  than 
355  couples. 

BISHOP  JAMES  ROBERSON,  A  FORCE  FOR  GOOD  IN  HIS 
COMMUNITY. 

Elder  Roberson  was  born  in  the  year  1853  in 
Ascension  Parish,  La.  Being  born  in  ante-bel- 
lum times  his  opportunities  for  going  to  school 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       155 

were  few  or  none  at  all.  But  having  plenty  of 
pluck  and  push  he  started  up  any  how. 

He  attended  the  public  school  of  his  parish 
nine  months  in  1866.  To  this  small  store  of 
knowledge  he  continually  added  by  burning-  mid- 
night oil  and  studying  perhaps  by  the  flickering 
light  of  the  pine  knot  fire.  In  this  way  he  be- 
came sufficiently  strong  intellectually,  and  al- 
ready possessing  the  moral  fitness,  he  went  stead- 
ily on  doing  the  work  of  Him  that  sent  him.  After 
his  conversion  he  was  baptized  into  the  member- 
ship of  the  Mt.  Olive  Baptist  Church  in  1878  by 
Bishop  Thomas  Brown.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  ordained  in  1888  by  Bishops  John 
Marks,  Isaiah  Lawson  and  Thomas  Brown. 
Bishop  Roberson  has  pastored  the  following 
churches :  Nazarene,  Mt.  Olive  (a  church  in  the 
city  of  New  Orleans)  ;  Mt.  Zion,  Darrow,  La., 
and  has  pastored  Ebenezer  Baptist  Church  since 
1892.  Not  only  has  he  been  interested  in  the 
spiritual  growth  of  his  people,  but  their  intel- 
lectual as  well. 

At  this  time  he  is  President  of  the  Trustee 
Board  of  Leland  Academy,  Donaldsonville,  La.; 
a  member  of  the  Trustee  Board  of  Leland  Uni- 
versity, and  Treasurer  of  the  Second  District 
Association.  He  has  taught  his  people  that  they 
should  buy  and  own  homes,  by  buying  and  own- 
ing one  himself.  The  children  of  this  home — a 
daughter  and  niece — were  given  every  possible 
educational  advantage.  His  daughter  held  her  own 
as  a  winning  student  and  pushed  her  way  up 
from  the  Intermediate  Department  at  Leland  Uni- 
versity to  a  place  on  the  faculty,  after  graduat- 
ing with  honors  from  the  B.  A,  degree  Course. 
Bishop  Roberson  as  a  father,  preacher  and  leader 
has  wrought  well. 


156     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


ELDER    ALLEN    STEVENSON,  A    TIRELESS    WORKER. 

Bishop  Stevenson  first  saw  light  in  Ascension 
Parish,  La.,  in  1858.  Mr.  Jacob  and  Mrs.  Hen- 
rietta Stephenson  were  his  parents.  They  were 
deeply  interested  in  the  education  of  their  son, 
and  no  doubt  prayed  often  that  he  would  some 
day  be  a  strong  and  useful  man.  A  prayer  an- 
swering God  granted  this  request.  After  the 
war  Brother  Stevenson  picked  up  what  learn- 
ing he  could  here  and  there,  attending  public 
school  whenever  he  could. 

He  was  converted  in  1881  and  baptiz-ed  into 

the  membership  of  the  Mount Baptist 

Church,  Ascension  Parish.  Brother  Stevenson 
was  ordained  in  1889  by  the  following  Elders: 
Isaiah  Lawson,  Nathan  Cambrie  and  V.  B. 
Hubbs.  This  minister  of  Christ  has  pastored  the 
following  churches:  Mount  Bethel  Baptist 
Church  and  Nazarene  Baptist  Church,  Donald- 
sonville,  La.  He  has  manifested  much  interest 
in  Sunday-school  and  day  school  work,  having 
taught  public  school  seventeen  years  and  at  the 
same  time  held  important  positions  in  the  Sun- 
day-school work  of  his  District.  He  showed  his 
interest  in  the  Christian  education  of  his  com- 
munity by  accepting  the  presidency  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Leland  Academy,  Donald- 
sonville,  La.  He  has  reared  a  large  family  of 
fifteen  children,  and  in  other  laudable  ways  done 
what  he  could  for  the  material  and  religious  ad- 
vancement of  his  people. 

ELDER   LUKE  ALLEN,    SR.,   ONE   OF   THE   NORTH 
LOUISIANA  PIONEER  BAPTIST  LEADERS. 

This  venerable  servant  of  God  was  born  in  Lee 
County,  Ga.,  February  23,   1841.     His  mother's 


158    History  of  Louisiana  Negrc  Baptists. 

name  was  Charlotte  and  his  father's  name  was 

Allen.     After  the  death     of     his 

owner,  Mr.  Joseph  B.  Bond,  in  1859,  he,  with 
other  slaves,  was  brought  to  Albany,  Ga.,  where 
he  was  sold  to  the 'highest  bidder.  A  man  by 
the  name  of  S.  P.  Corbin  bought  him  in  1860, 
and  brought  him  to  Louisiana.  Immediately 
after  the  surrender  in  1865  he  came  to  Shreve- 
port,  La. 

Bishop  Allen  was  converted  June  16th,  1866 
and  baptized  into  the  membership  of  Antioch 
Baptist  Church  by  Elder  John  Jones,  who  was 
Antioch's  first  pastor.  So  filled  with-  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  he  when  he  was  first  converted  he 
preached  the  Word  on  the  streets  at  Shreveport, 
and  everywhere  he  went  and  to  everybody.  Be- 
ing adjudged  crazy  he  was  put  in  jail,  but  like 
Paul  in  the  Philippian  prison  he  preached  the 
jailer  off  his  feet,  so  to  speak,  and  the  doors 
were  opened  unto  him  when  he  walked  out. 
From  that  day  to  this  he  has  been  preaching  the 
gospel  with  power.  The  writer  knows  personal- 
ly of  his  worth  as  a  New  Testament  preacher, 
because  after  his  conversion  through  the  influ- 
ence of  this  good  man  he  was  baptized  into  the 
membership  of  the  Antioch  Baptist  Church, 
which  was  pastored  by  Elder  Allen  twelve  years. 
He  was  licensed  to  preach  December  24,  1868, 
during  the  pastorate  of  Bishop  Julius  Chambers, 
who  succeeded  Elder  John  Jones  to  the  pastorate 
of  Antioch.  After  the  death  of  Pastor  Cham- 
bers and  when  Bishop  Jones  was  re-called  to 
Antioch's  pastorate,  Brother  Allen  was  still 
faithfully  serving  his,  and  continued  his  service 
as  church  clerk  to  the  death  of  Elder  Jones, 
February  23,  1877. 

The  pastoral  mantle  fell  this  time  on  the  sub- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       159 

ject  of  this  sketch,  after  a  rigid  examina- 
tion by  four  competent  Elders,  namely,  Bishops 
J.  A.  Hacket  and  George  Tucker  (white),  and 
Thomas  Christian  and  Joseph  Nelson  (colored). 
He  wore  this  mantle  with  dignity  and  honor  to 
the  end  of  his  ministry  at  Antioch,  and  also  at 
the  other  churches  pastored  since  leaving  Anti- 
och. He  wears  it  becomingly  today.  He  car- 
red  Antioch's  enrollment  from  a  small  number 
to  515  before  resigning  June  24,  1889.  In  1897, 
when  he  was  elected  as  one  of  the  State's  Mis- 
sionaries, which  office  he  has  filled  for  sixteen 
years  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  delight 
of  his  brethren. 

He  was  married  the  first  time  January  27, 
1867,  to  Miss  Hester  Ann  Williams  by  Elder  H. 
P.  James.  This  union  was  blessed  with  nine 
children — seven  boys  and  two  girls.  This  wife 
left  for  heaven  October,  1884,  after  a  well  spent 
life,  and,  as  it  were,  after  hearing  the  blessed 
applaudit,  "Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful 
servant."  Mrs.  Winnie  Carr  is  Elder  Allen's 
second  wife,  whom  he  married  February  2,  1885, 
at  Antioch  Baptist  Church,  Bishop  Thomas 
Christian  officiating.  Since  their  marriage  they 
have  lived  happily  together,  nobly  upholding 
their  matrimonial  vow.  At  this  writing  Brother 
Allen  is  72  years  old  and  is  active  in  the  minis- 
try. Not  a  better  doctrinal  preacher  lives  In 
Louisiana  today.  He  is  orthodox  to  the  core. 
For  many  years  he  has  been  honored  by  his 
brethren  and  held  as  President  of  the  Minister's 
and  Deacon's  meeting  of  the  Thirteenth  District. 
Pioneer  work  done  by  him  places  him  in  the  front 
ranks  not  only  of  Louisiana  Baptists,  but  of  Bap- 
tists throughout  these  United  States. 


160     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


DR.  A.   F.   OWENS,  A  PIONEER  TEACHER  OF 
PREACHERS. 

Of  the  pioneer  workers  and  scholars  in  the 
early  days  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists,  none 
have  made  a  greater  record  nor  enjoy  wider  dis- 
tinction than  does  Bishop  Albert  Franklin 
Owens.  He  was  born  in  Wilcox  County,  Ala., 
in  1859.  Being  deprived  of  early  school  advan- 
tages, he  struggled  upward  as  best  he  could  un- 
til he  finally  made  his  way  to  Leland  University, 
New  Orleans,  La.  He  was  among  Leland's  first 
students,  knowing  personally  Deacon  Holbrook 
Chamberlain,  the  honored  founder  of  Leland.  No 
student  stood  higher,  nor  enjoyed  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  both  teacher  and  students 
than  did  Brother  Owens. 

In  the  year  of  1872,  he  was  converted  and 
baptized  into  the  membership  of  the  Mt.  Pleasant 
Baptist  Church,  Atchafalaya,  La.  Elder  Green 
Stemley  oaptized  him.-  in  1873  he  was  notified 
of  his  call  to  the  ministry  and  ordained  by  the 
Common  Street  Church,  New  Orleans,  four  years 
later.  The  following  churches  have  been  suc- 
cessfully pastored  by  him:  Third  Baptist  and 
Union  Baptist  Churches,  Mobile,  Ala.,  and  First 
Baptist  Church,  Uniontown,  Ala.  Before  leav- 
ing Louisiana  Dr.  Owens  was  one  of  the  most 
honored  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention  Sec- 
retaries. This  was  during  the  Convention's  in- 
fancy. iComing  to  Mobile  he  engaged  in  and 
did  the  well-done  above  mentioned  church  work. 
He  also  accomplished  a  deal  of  school  work,  hav- 
ing served  with  credit  as  principal  of  the  Orange 
Grove  School  four  years,  taught  in  Mobile  al- 
together twenty-five  years.  He  distinguished 
1"  imself  as  a  poacher  of  charities  years  ago  with 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      161 

the  people  of  Mobile.  He  was  made  manager  of 
City  Charities  and  held  that  position  thirty-three 
years. 

In  1885  he  edited  the  "Baptist  Pioneer;"  in 
1892-93  he  edited  the  "Alabama  Baptist  Leader." 
For  many  years  he  was  a  Trustee  of  Selma  Uni- 
versity. Dr.  Booker  T.  Washington,  learning  of 
the  work  and  worth  of  this  great  man,  sought 
and  secured  his  services  as  Dean  of  Phelps  Bible 
School,  Tuskegee  Institute,  Ala.  He  held  this 
position  a  number  of  years  to  the  satisfaction  of 
Dr.  Washington  and  to  the  delight  of  his  many 
students  and  friends.  Recently  he  resigned  the 
work  at  Tuskegee  and  accepted  a  call  to  the 
Deanship  of  Bible  School  of  Selma  University, 
Selma,  Ala.,  where  he  now  makes  good,  render- 
ing the  institution  yeoman  service.  His  old 
school,  Leland  University,  has  recognized  and  ac- 
knowledged his  ability  by  conferring  upon  him 
the  degree  of  D.  D. — Doctor  of  Divinity. 

In  1908,  he  married  Miss  S.  M.  Pruitt,  who 
has  been  to  him  a  help-meet,  indeed,  and  who 
today  helps  him  in  his  great  work. 

PROFESSOR  0.  L.  COLEMAN,  A.  M.,  EDUCATIONAL 
APOSTLE  OF  NORTH   LOUISIANA  BAPTISTS. 

This  educator  stands  among  the  first  in  his 
state  and  in  his  race.  He  came  into  Louisiana 
from  Mississippi  twenty-seven  years  ago,  after 
graduating  from  the  following  schools:  High 
School,  Livingston,  Miss.,  and  Alcorn  College, 
Alcorn,  Miss.  In  addition  to  completed  work  at 
these  two  schools  he  has  spent  six  or  more  ses- 
sions doing  post  work  in  Northern  schools,  fre- 
quently being  the  only  Negro  in  his  classes,  but 


EVERGREEN  BAPTIST   CHURCH, 

Shreveport. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       163 

always  "holding  his  own,"  reflecting  credit  on 
his  race. 

The  Home  Mission  Society  of  New  York  and 
the  Women's  Home  Mission  Society  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  conferred  a  signal  honor  upon  Professor 
Coleman  when  they  jointly  elected  him  to  repre- 
sent the  Negro  educationally  of  four  Southern 
States,  viz.,  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Texas  and 
Arkansas,  in  Northern  Conventions  held  in  the 
states  of  Massachusetts,  Maine  and  New  Hamp- 
shire, respectively. 

Brother  Coleman's  paramount  contribution  to 
the  Baptist  cause  in  the  state  is  an  interesting 
'Christian  family  and  Coleman  College,  one  of 
the  leading  Negro  Baptist  institutions  in  the 
South.  This  school  is  his  life  work.  It  is  a  big- 
demonstration  of  what  a  man  can  do  when  he 
finds  HIS  job,  gets  on  it,-  and  Coleman-like  stays 
on  it  with  a  dogged  determination  until  he  wins 
out. 

His  wife,  Mrs.  Mattie  A.  Coleman,  stood  by 
him  with  Spartan  courage  as  he  labored  on 
through  frost  and  snow,  through  encouragements 
and  discouragements,  through  well  days  and  sick 
days  in  the  accomplishment  of  his  great  work. 
The  oldest  son  of  this  noted  educator  is  at  this 
writing  a  student  of  Medicine  at  Shaw  Univer- 
sity, Raleigh,  N.  C,  and  his  eldest  daughter  is 
pursuing  higher  studies  at  Fisk  University, 
Nashville,  Tenn.  As  a  testimonial  of  the  work 
and  worth  of  this  great  man  Leland  University 
has  honored  him  with  the  M.  A.  degree. 

J.  W.  WILEY,  M.  D.,  PHYSICIAN  AND  DRUGGIST. 

Dr.  Wiley  was  born  on  the  farm  of  his  father 
(Mr.  Anderson  Wiley)  at  Vernon,  La.     He  lived 


164     Hitsory  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

in  the  country  the  first  ten  years  of  his  life,  at- 
tending the  public  schools  that  were  taught  in 
the  summer  time  after  the  crops  were  "layed  by." 
At  the  age  of  13  he  went  to  Coleman  College, 
Gibsland,  La.,  whjere  he  attended  two  sessions. 
During  this  time  he  was  converted  and  baptized. 
From  then  until  now  he  has  remained  lojTal  to 
the  Baptist  flag,  being  at  present  Financial  Sec- 
retary, Treasurer  and  Deacon  of  the  Salem  Bap- 
tist Church,  Greensboro,  Ala. 

Dr.  Wiley  finished  his  grammar  and  high 
school  course  at  Vernon  Academy,  -yernon,  La. 
Passing  successfully  the  public  school  examina- 
tion he  began  teaching.  He  worked  hard  with 
head  and  hand,  making  cotton  and  corn  by  work- 
ing in  the  evenings  after  leaving  the  school  room. 
Not  being  contented  with  his  limited  education 
and  chances  for  life,  he  saved  sufficient  money, 
and  went  to  Sedalia,  Mo.,  where  he  made  good 
as  a  student  of  the  George  R.  Smith  College, 
graduating  in  1897  as  salutatorian  of  his  class. 
His  school  road  was  rough  but  he  persevered. 
While  in  his  senior  year  he  taught  school  during 
the  day  three  miles  away  from  Georgetown,  Mo., 
and  attended  his  class  work  at  night.  It  was 
during  these  five  months  at  College  he  decided 
to  study  medicine. 

In  the  fall  of  1901  he  started  for  New  Orleans, 
La.,  to  attend  Flint  Medical  College.  After  pur- 
suing his  course  here  three  years,  he  entered 
the  Illinois  Medical  College,  Chicago,  111.,  and 
graduated  with  honors  January  1,  1905.  Dr. 
Wiley  located  in  Greensboro,  Ala.,  is  successfully 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Dur- 
ing the  nine  years  he  has  been  here  he  has  built 
up  a  reputation  as  a  competent  physician,  and 
generally,  with  his  skill  in  Therapeutics  coupled 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      165 

with  the  help  of  the  Great  Physician,  puts  his 
patient  on  his  feet  again. 

His  friends  are  counted  by  scores  in  both  races. 
In  connection  with  healing  his  people,  he  has 
taught  them  practical  lessons  in  economy  by 
buying  property  and  operating  a  first-class  drug 
store.  While  in  the  west  he  met  Miss  A.  M. 
Smith,  whom  he  married  in  1906.  Mrs.  Wiley 
is  a  model  doctor's  wife.  Every  thoughtful  Bap- 
tist in'  the  state  should  be  proud  of  the  record  al- 
ready made  by  this  young  Medico,  and  bid  him 
God-speed  as  he  goes  forward  to  greater  achieve- 
ments. 

EISHOP  J.  L.  BURRELL,  D.  D.,  ONE  OF  THE  STATE'S 
FOREMOST  PREACHERS. 

In  the  year  1859,  and  in  the  town  of  Thibo- 
deaux;  La.,  there  was  born  Dr.  John  L.  Burrell. 
His  parents  were  Mr.  William  and  Mrs.  Nancy 
Burrell.  Being  born  a  slave  his  chances  for  go- 
ing to  school  were  few,  or  none  at  all.  Despite 
this  fact,  by  dint  of  pluck  and  push  he  began 
climbing  upward.  At  the  earliest  opportunity 
he  entered  the  public  school  of  his  parish,  where 
he  learned  his  lessons  well;  and  by  his  good  be- 
havior won  the  esteem  and  respect  of  both 
teacher  and  fellow-students.  As  soon  as  the 
opportunity  came  he  entered  Leland  University, 
New  Orleans,  La.  During  his  stay  there  he  did 
good  work  and  grew  in  intellectual  power. 

Elder  Burrell  was  converted  in  1876,  after 
which  he  was  baptized  into  the  membership  of 
Moses  Baptist  Church  by  Elder  T.  J.  Rhodes.  In 
1882  he  realized  his  call  to  the  ministry,  made 
it  known  and  was  ordained  by  the  following 
bishops:  T.  J.  Rhodes,  Isaiah  Lawson,  R.  Cole- 


16b     history  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

man,  I.  H.  Stewart,  John  Brown  and  P.  H.  Diggs. 
Brother  Burrell  has  spent  quite  a  number  of 
years  in  the  ministry,  pastoring  the  following 
churches:  Little  Zion  Baptist  Church,  Opelousas; 
Evergreen,  Lake  Charles,  La.;  Shiloh,  Washing- 
ton, La.;  Mt.  Pleasant,  Elba,  La.;  First  African, 
New  Orleans,  La.;  Progressive,  Sherman,  Texas, 
and  the  .  Progressive  Baptist  Church,  New 
Orleans,  La.,  of  which  he  is  now  (1914)  pastor. 
In  1888  Dr.  Bothwell,  President  Columbia 
University,  conferred  the  honorary  degree,  D.  D., 
upon  Brother  Burrell  in  recognition  of  work  al- 
ready done.  No  man  in  the  state  has  been  more 
highly  honored.  The  brethren  lifted  Dr.  Bur- 
rell to  the  highest  station  when  they  elected  him 
President  of  the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention. He  has  held  and  is  now  holding  the  fol- 
lowing positions  of  trust:  Vice  Moderator  First 
District  Association  and  President  Board  of  Di- 
rectors Providence  Sanitarium.  Brother  Bur- 
rell's  kind  disposition  has  won  and  holds  for  him 
a  large  number  of  friends  in  both  races. 

BISHOP   CHARLES   WILLIAM   BROOKS,   B.   A.,   ONE   OF 
OUR  STRONGEST  YOUNG  MEN. 

Among  the  young  ministers  of  the  state,  none 
stand  higher  than  Brother  Brooks  in  point  of 
thrift  and  intellectual  attainment.  He  was  born 
of  Elder  Charles  and  Mrs.  Virginia  Brooks  in 
the  village  of  Camp  Parapet,  Jefferson  Parish, 
La.,  April  2,  1876.  He  attended  the  following 
schools:  Short  Street,  Keller's,  McDonough  No. 
24  and  Leland  University,  New  Orleans,  La. 
Brother  Brooks  entered  Leland  in  1896  recently 
after  his  conversion  and  during  the  presidency  of 
the  noted  preacher  and     scholar,     Dr.     Edward 


BISHOP   D.   M.   BROWN 
G-raiugling.    La. 


168     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Ciishing  Mitchell.  Conditions  uncontrolable 
forced  young-  Brooks  out  of  school,  but  his  faith 
did  not  falter,  and  when  the  opportunity  came 
again  he  re-entered  under  the  late  Dr.  R.  W. 
Perkins.  This  time  he  remained  at  his  post  until 
he  won  with  honor  three  diplomas — the  College 
Preparatory  1907-08,  Normal  1908-09,  and  the 
College  Course,  1911-12. 

After  his  conversion  and  notice  of  his  call  to 
the  ministry,  Brother  Brooks  was  baptized  into 
the  membership  of  the  Plymouth  Rock  Baptist 
Church  by  the  late  Elder  David  Young.  In  his 
church  he  held  the  following  positions:  teacher 
of  Bible  Class  No.  2,  Sunday-school  secretary, 
president  church  choir,  president  B.  Y.  P.  U., 
president  Board  of  Trustees  and  church  clerk. 

He  was  called  to  ordination  by  the  Progres- 
sive Baptist  Church,  Bishop  J.  L.  Burrell,  pas- 
tor, and  was  set  apart  by  the  following  Elders: 
J.  H.  Flemings,  E.  D.  Sims,  A.  Hubbs,  John 
Marks,  D.  D.,  J.  L.  Burrell,  D.  D.,  G.  W.  Toney, 
J.  ML  Young,  D.  D.,  Jackson  Acox  and  A.  P.  Or- 
lage,  April,  1911.  Bishop  Brooks  has  done  good 
work  during  the  short  time  he  has  been  in  the 
ministry,  having  filled  creditably  the  following 
positions:  Sunday-School  Missionary  First  Dis- 
trict Association  1907-08 ;  Missionary  First  Dis- 
trict Association',  1912-13;  State  Organizer  of  B. 
Y.  P.  U.  Convention,  1911-12;  now  pastor  Mt. 
Moriah  Baptist  Church;  at  present  one  of  the 
state  missionaries  of  Louisiana  Baptist  State 
Convention  elected  at  the  Monroe  session  July, 
1913,  and  he  holds  at  this  time  the  position  of 
Financial  Agent  of  Leland  University.  Bishop 
Brooks  being  a  well  prepared  young  man  of 
Louisiana  Baptists,  we  predict  for  him  a  future 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      169 

filled  with  "good  works"  to  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  uplift  of  humanity. 

ELDER  C.  L.  ROBERTS,  D.  D.,  A  CHURCH  AND  SCHOOL 
BUILDER. 

Eighteen  hundred  fifty-one  (1851)  was  the 
year  during  which  the  birth  of  Brother  Roberts 
occurred  at  Cheneyville,  La.  The  above  date 
shows  that  early  educational  opportunities  were 
few  or  none,  but  he  was  blessed  with  a  deal  of 
determination  and  began  pushing  upward.  Af- 
ter making  the  most  of  advantages  coming  to 
him  from  the  public  schools  of  his  parish,  he  en- 
tered Leland  University  and  remained  there  for 
some  time  under  a  line  of  the  schools  first  Presi- 
dents, Drs.  Traver  and  Gregory,  Professor 
Barker  and  others. 

Bishop  Roberts  was  converted  in  1869,  and 
afterwards  was  baptized  into  the  membership  of 
the  Edgefield  Baptist  Church  by  Elder  Thomas 
Blackman.  After  realizing  and  making  known 
his  call  to  the  ministry  in  1870,  he  was  ordained 
to  preach  Christ  in  1875  by  the  following 
Bishops:  Dr.  A.  M.  Newman,  Dr.  Nelson 
(white),  Dr.  Taylor  Frierson,  G.  W.  Walker, 
Holland  Patent,  of  New  York;  H.  R.  Curtis 
(white) ,  and  deacons  from  First  Baptist  Church, 
Jefferson,  La.,  and  the  Baptist  Church,  Jordan- 
ville.  La.  Since  his  ordination  Elder  Roberts 
has  been  one  of  the  most  progressive  pastors  In 
the  state,  having  successfully  pastored  the  fol- 
lowing churches:  St.  Joseph,  Haasville,  La.; 
Second  Union,  Bunkie,  La.;  St.  John,  Lamourie, 
La.;  True  Vine,  Alexandria,  La.;  Union  Chapel, 
Lloyd,  La.;  Edgefield,  Cheyneville,  La.,  and 
Beulah  Lacompt,  La. 


170     History  of  Louisiana  Uegro  Baptists. 

In  connection  with  his  large  amount  of  church 
work,  he  has  done  a  deal  of  school  work,  and  ha? 
held  and  now  holds  positions  of  trust  and  honor 
in  the  state.  Much  pioneer  work  was  done  by 
Ihim  as  a  public  school  teacher.  He  helped  build 
Central  Louisiana  Academy,  and  singly  and  alone 
with  his  three  churches  founded  and  built  up  the 
Cheyneville  Academy,  one  of  the  best  schools  in 
the  state.  Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given 
these  loyal  churches  and  their  great  leader. 

What  this  veteran  preacher  has  done  with 
"three  churches  some  entire  associations  fail  to 
do  with  30  and  40  churches.  Unity  and  loyalty 
always  spell  success.  Let  us  doff  our  hats  to 
them,  my  brethren,  and  LET  THEM  BY.  This 
tireless  worker  was  for  eight  years  Moderator  of 
the  Eighth  District  Association.  At  this  writ- 
ing he  is  President  of  Cheyneville  Academy,  and 
for  more  than  fourteen  years  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Trustee  Board  of  Leland  University. 
Of  the  above-named  churches  he  built  up  five  and 
organized  two.  Leland  has  recognized  and  ac- 
knowledged this  successful  labor  by  conferring 
■upon  Elder  Roberts  the  honorary  degree,  D.  D. 

PROF.  EMMETT  LOUIS  WASHBURN,  B.  A.,  A 
SUCCESSFUL    TEACHER. 

This  young  educator  was. born  in  Gloster, 
Miss.,  1889.  The  names  of  his  parents  are  Mr. 
Isaac  and  Mrs.  Annie  Washburn.  After  enjoy- 
ing the  advantages  offered  by  the  public  school 
of  his  town  and  county,  he  attended  Harper  and 
Natchez  Colleges,  graduating  B.  A.,  from  the  lat- 
ter with  honors. 

Brother  Washburn  was  converted  in  1903  and 
baptized  into  the  membership  of  the  Gloster  Bap- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      171 

tist  Church,  Gloster,  Miss.  He  has  held  the  fol- 
lowing positions  of  trust:  Three  years  student 
teacher  at  Natchez  College,  and  two  years  prin- 
cipal of  the  East  Carroll  Normal  and  Industrial 
Institute.  This  school  is  among  the  best  schools 
in  the  state.  It  is  located  at  Lake  Providence, 
La.  Bishop  J.  E.  Brunswick  founded  this  school 
in  1898.  It  comprises  three  buildings  beauti- 
fully situated  on  60  acres  of  land.  Watch  this 
young  man  and  his  great  work.  Lovers  of  edu- 
cation are  proud  of  this  institution  and  are  ex- 
pecting greater  things  from  Brother  Washburn 
as  the  years  come  and  go. 

DR.  A.    M.   NEWMAN,  ONE  OF  THE  DENOMINATION'S 
GREATEST  PREACHERS. 

Louisiana  has  never  laid  claim  to  a  greater 
preacher  than  Bishop  Armstead  Mason  Newman. 
It  was  the  writer's  great  privilege  to  know  him 
personally  and  to  listen  Sunday  after  Sunday  to\ 
his  able  sermons,  taking  notes  and  study  ser~. 
monic  architecture.  I  delight  to  record  here- 
that  my  first  and  best  lessons  in  sermonizing 
were  received  from  this  noble  man.  It  was 
largely  through  his  persuasion  and  influence  that 
I  accepted  the  principalship  of  the  Thirteenth 
District  Academy,  and  during  his  pastorate  at 
Antioch  Baptist  Church  I  was  licensed  to  preach, 
in   1895. 

He  was  born  during  the  dark  days  of  slavery 
in  Alexandria,  Va.  To  him  early  school  advan- 
tages were  unknown,  but  being  blessed  innatelv 
with  push  and  pluck,  he  started  to  the  front 
Though  his  struggle  through  school  was  bitter 
he  held  to  it,  and  finally  forged  his  way  through 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      173 

Colgate  University,  Hamilton,  N,  Y.-,  graduating* 
B.   S.,  with  signal  honors. 

His  first  labors  in  the  state  were  at  the  Com- 
mon Street  or  Tulane  Avenue  Baptist  Church, 
New  Orleans.  Following  he  did  effective  work 
at  Bunkie,  Shiloh  Baptist  Church,  Alexandria; 
and  after  serving  as  State  Missionary  and  Presi- 
dent of  the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention, 
he  was  called  to  the  Antioch  Baptist  Church  July 
27,  1889.  Bishop  A.  B.  Daniels  in  his  "Histori- 
cal Sketch  of  Antioch  Baptist  Church,"  has  the 
following  to  say  of  Dr.  Newman  and  his  work 
at  Antioch :  "On  July  27,  1889,  the  church  elected 
Rev.  Armstead  M.  Newman,  formerly  of  Alex- 
andria, Va.,  to  take  charge  as  pastor.  Rev.  New- 
man began  his  work  in  a  Christian-like  manner 
and  soon  had  the  wreckage  cleared  up  and  the 
sails  hoisted  and  soon  the  old  Ship  of  Zion  had 
lier  head  to  the  wind  and  was  moving  on  her 
mission  of  soul-saving.  He  began  the  work  with 
146  members.  It  will  be  remembered  that  dur- 
ing the  confusion  of  the  church  prior  to  Rev.  New- 
man's election  a  great  number  of  dissatisfied 
members  had  withdrawn  from  the  church  and 
built  another  house  of  worship  known  as  Avenue 
Baptist  Church.  In  a  short  time  these  members 
were  granted  letters  of  dismission  and  all  was 
peace  once  more  where  hatred,  malice  and  every- 
thing which  was  un-Christian  prevailed  just  a 
few  months  before.  Rev.  Newman  proved  him- 
self to  be  a  peacemaker  of  whom  it  is  said  in 
Matt.  5:9,  "they  shall  be  called  the  children  of 
God."  During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Newman, 
beginning  July  27,  1889,  there  has  been  added  to 
the  church  256  members." 

In  addition  to  this  excellent  church  work  he 
did  a  deal  of  school  work  while  at  Antioch,  or- 


174    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

ganizing  and  operating  the  Providence  Academy, 
which  was  perhaps  the  first  distinctive  Baptist 
Academy  in  Shreveport.  Miss  Blanch  Sterrett 
and  Miss  Elizabeth  Norrington,  ably  assisted  Dr. 
Newman  as  instructors  in  this  school.  The  chief 
material  used  in  the  founding  of  the  Thirteenth 
District  Academy  came  from  Bishop  Newman's 
school.  He  was  elected  Supervisor  of  Education 
for  the  Thirteenth  District.  This  position  and 
pastor  of  Antioch  Baptist  Church  he  filled  until 
he  was  called  from  labor  to  reward.  Thus  closed 
the  earthly  career  of  an  affectionate  father, 
pleasant  teacher,  a  loving  and  watchful  pastor, 
a  forceful  preacher,  an  apt  theologian,  a  pro- 
found thinker  and  a  logical  reasoner. 

BISHOP  H.  B.  N.  BROWN,  D.  D.,  PASTOR,  EDITOR 
AND  MISSIONARY. 

With  little  exception  the  missionary  work  of 
the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Convention  has  been 
under  the  supervision  of  Dr.  Brown  since  the 
early  eighties  or  shortly  after  the  state  was  di- 
vided into  Districts.  Missionaries  preceding 
him  served  short  periods,  but  Brother  Brown 
has  held  on  for  more  than  twenty  years,  and  ac- 
complished much  along  missionary  lines.  He  de- 
veloped the  work  until  three  or  four  other  mis- 
sionaries known  as  State  District  Missionaries 
had  been  appointed  by  the  Convention.  Then 
the  Convention  made  Dr.  Brown  State  Superin- 
tendent of  Missions,  which  office  he  now  fills  to 
the  delight  and  satisfaction  of  his  brethren. 

Being  born  in  the  state  and  having  become  con- 
nected with  Louisiana  Baptists  in  early  life,  he 
studied  his  people  and  conditions  closely.  This 
pre-eminently  fitted  him  for  his  great  task.     In 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      175 

connection  with  this  well-done  missionary  work 
Elder  Brown  has  done  much  church  work,  and 
too  he  has  ably  edited  The  Louisiana  Baptist, 
one  of  our  leading  denominational  papers. 

Bishop  Brown  has  been  closely  identified  with 
our  state  work  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury, and  has  been  a  prime  mover  in  the  organi- 
zation of  many  churches  throughout  the  state 
and  other  state  organizations. 

As  a  preacher  Dr.  Brown  is  convincing  in  ar- 
gument, sound  in  doctrine  and  a  bold  advocate 
of  Baptist  principles. 

Guadalupe  College,  in  recognition  of  the  abili- 
ty and  worth  of  Brother  Brown,  conferred  upon 
him  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity. 

BISHOP  A.  S.  JACKSON,  D.  D.,  A  NOTED  PREACHER 
AND  SCHOLAR. 

Reaching  New  Orleans  in  1887,  I  entered  a 
university  the  head  of  whose  Southern  Board  of 
Trustees  was  one  of  the  most  cultured  men  of 
our  race.  I  refer  to  Dr.  Alexander  S.  Jackson. 
The  university  referred  to  is  Leland.  Brother 
Jackson  held  the  chairmanship  of  this  Board  for 
many  years,  until  he  was  called  from  the  pasto- 
rate of  the  Tulane  Avenue  Baptist  Church  to  the 
New  Hope  Baptist  Church,   Dallas,   Texas. 

Before  going  to  this  new  field  he  made  a  rec- 
ord in  Louisiana.  Coming  to  the  state  in  the  late 
seventies  or  early  eighties  intellectually  prepared 
he  easily  took  front  rank  among  Louisiana  Bap- 
tist leaders.  After  his  call  to  the  above  men- 
tioned New  Orleans  Church,  came  his  election  to 
the  Recording  Secretaryship  of  the  Louisiana 
Baptist  State  Convention,  during  the  presidency 
of  Dr.  John  Marks. 


176     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

In  course  of  time  the  brethren  lifted  Brother 
Jackson  to  the  highest  position  in  the  state  by 
electing  him  President  of  the  Louisiana  Baptist 
State  Convention,  which  office  he  filled  with  be- 
coming dignity  and  to  the  delight  of  the  brother- 
hood. 

Although  in  Texas  at  this  writing,  Dr.  Jackson 
yet  enjoys  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his 
Louisiana  brethren.  He  is  one  of  the  few  Negro 
preachers  who  have  toured  the  Holy  Land. 
Since  returning  he  has  delivered  interesting  and 
able  lectures  on  the  Land  of  our  Savior's  nativi- 
ty. As  a  speaker,  Elder  Jackson  is  eloquent, 
persuasive  and  convincing.  His  greatest  contri- 
bution to  his  denomination  and  race  is  an  inter- 
esting family.  His  first  wife  was  an  ex- 
cellent Christian  woman.  His  second  com- 
panion, Mrs.  0.  M.  Jackson,  is  an  ex-teacher 
of  Leland  University,  and  one  of  the  best  Chris- 
tian instructors  that  ever  lived.  She  has  held 
the  hand  of  her  husband  high  while  doing  the 
great  work  he  has  and  is  doing  in  Texas. 

BISHOP   JOHN   MARKS,  D.  D.,  A  PREACHER  OF  PER- 
SEVERANCE AND  ENDURANCE. 

Dr.  Marks  came  from  Louisiana  to  Virginia 
when  he  was  quite  young,  and  located  in  New 
Orleans.  He  was  converted  through  the  power- 
ful preaching  of  Elder  George  W.  Walker  and 
baptized  by  this  veteran  preacher  into  the  mem- 
bership of  Austerlitz  Street  Baptist  Church. 
After  giving  evidence  of  his  call  to  preach  his 
church  ordained  him. 

Having  passed  through  the  molds  of  prepara- 
tion at  Leland,  he  entered  vigorously  upon  his 
ministerial  career.     He  has  built    up  the    Sixth 


178     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Baptist  Church  from  a  Mission  Station  into  one 
of  the  leading  churches  of  the  state,  and  has  pas- 
tored  it  continuously  since  its  organization, 
through  a  period  of  more  than  thirty  years.  This 
is  perhaps  the  longest  New  Orleans  pastorate 
among  Negro  Baptists.  During  this  time  he  has 
erected  and  remodeled  not  less  than  two  houses 
of  worship. 

Early  in  his  ministry  he  so  favorably  im- 
pressed his  brethren  that  they  elected  him  to  the 
high  office  of  President  of  the  Louisiana  Baptist 
State  Convention,  which  position  he  held  success- 
fully for  more  than  seven  years.  Brother  Marks 
has  succeeded  Dr.  A.  S.  Jackson  to  the  chairman- 
ship of  the  Southern  Trustee  Board  of  Leland 
University,  and  has  held  this  position  for  13  or 
14  years  with  credit  to  himself  and  Louisiana 
Negro  Baptists.  He  is  President  of  this  Board 
at  this  writing  and  holds  other  offices  of  trust  in 
New  Orleans.  Elder  Marks  has  been  and  is  one 
of  the  strongest  pulpiteers  in  the  state,  being  a 
deep  thinker,  sound  reasoner  and  a  bold  advocate 
of  his  scriptural  beliefs.. 

Recognizing  the  work  and  worth  of  Bishop 
Marks,  Leland  University  has  conferred  upon 
him  the  D.  D.  degree — Doctor  of  Divinity. 

BISHOP   JOHN   JONES,   AN   ANTE-BELLUM  PREACHER 
OF   MARKED   ABILITY. 

Back  in  the  early  fifties  there  came  into  the 
state  a  free-bom  Negro  Baptist  preacher  from 
Ohio.  His  name  was  John  Jones,  generally 
known  by  the  people  of  Shreveport  as  "John  the 
Baptist." 

In  1856  on  account  of  his  intellectual,  moral 
and   scriptural   qualifications  he   was     adjudged 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      179 

worthy,  and  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try by  the  following  white  presbytery :  Elders  W. 
H.  Stokes,  George  Tucker,  Jesse  Lee  and  A.  J. 
Rutherford.  After  a  few  years  of  successful 
labor,  preaching  to  the  slaves  and  wherever  op- 
portunity permitted,  he  was  called  to  the  pasto- 
rate of  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church, 
Shreveport,  La.,  in  1866,  immediately  after  its 
organization  by  Bishops  Tucker  and  Wm.  H. 
Baliss  (white).  Antioch  is  the  present  name  of 
this  church.  This  pioneer  preacher  accomplished 
much  here,  both  teaching  and  preaching  to  the 
people.  He  was  the  first  or  among  the  first 
colored  teachers  of  Shreveport.  He  labored  hard 
but  successfully  in  establishing  the  first  schools 
in  North  Louisiana  for  the  Negro. 

Dr.  Wm.  Paxton,  historian  of  Louisiana  white 
Baptists,  says  that  Elder  Jones  possessed  won- 
derful gifts,  and  that  he  exercised  great  influ- 
ence over  his  race.  He  did  more  to  preserve 
order  among  the  Negroes  of  Shreveport  than  did 
the  police  force.  Being  a  free  man  he  fell  under 
the  operation  of  a  law,  during  the  war,  putting 
all  free  persons  of  color,  not  natives  of  the  state 
under  heavy  penalties.  He  went  North  for  a 
while  but  it  was  found  that  the  influence  of  his 
example  was  so  essential  in  preserving  order 
among  the  colored  people  that  the  Legislature, 
then  in  session  at  Shreveport,  passed  a  SPECIAL 
act  recalling  him  to  Louisiana,  when  he  gladly 
returned  to  his  home  and  people.  This  peace- 
maker proved  himself  a  Henry  Clay  and  a  Booker 
T.  Washington  in  allaying  the  bitterness  and 
strife  and  harmonizing  the  races.  After  a  five- 
years'  useful  pastorate  at  Antioch,  and  after 
serving  well  Shreveport  in  general, 


180     History  of  Louisiana  Negio  Baptists. 

"A  voice  at  midnight  came, 

He  staited  up  to  hear; 
A  mortal  arrow  pierced  his  frame, 

He  fell  but  felt  no  fear," 
on  February  23,  1877. 


BISHOP  JAMES  MONROE  CARTER- 
PREACHER  AND  EDITOR. 

Mr.  William  and  Mrs.  Jane  Carter  were  the 
parents  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  Brother 
Carter  was  born  July  4th,  1858.  Louisiana  is  his 
native  state.  Though  born  a  slave,  he  was  blessed 
with  enough  innate  vim  and  push  to  start  to 
the  front,  and  when  the  opportunity  came,  he 
attended  the  following  schools :  Wiley  University, 
Marshall,  Texas,  Straight  and  Leland  Univer- 
sities, New  Orleans,  La.  He  made  a  good  record 
at  these  institutions,  being  at  one  time  a  student 
teacher  at  Leland. 

He  was  converted  and  baptised  into  the  mem- 
bership of  the  St.  John  Baptist  Church,  Mans- 
field, La.,  in  1878.  Bishop  Henry  Jackson 
baptised  him.  In  1888,  Bishop  Carter  was  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  Ministry,  and  called 
to  pastor  St.  Peter  Baptist  Church,  Pelican,  La. 
The  following  year  he  was  elected  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  Louisiana  Baptist  State  Conven- 
tion, and  served  successfully  for  20  years. 

The  following  churches  have  been  successfully 
pastored  by  him:  Cross  Road,  5  years;  Mary 
Magdalene,  4  years;  Stonewall,  3  years;  May- 
flower, 7  years;  Friendship,  1  year;  Morning- 
glory,  26  years;  and  Goodhope,  Keachie,  La.,  24 
years.     At  present   (1914)  Elder  Carter  pastors 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      181 

the  last  two  mentioned  churches  and  the  Oakland 
Baptist  Church,  Shreveport,  La.  He  has  been 
honored  by  the  13th  District  Association  by  a 
four-time  election  to  the  Moderatorship.  During 
this  time  he  recommended  the  establishment  of 
the  13th  District  Academy  in  one  of  his  annual 
messages.  He  holds  the  following  positions  of 
trust  at  present:  Member  State  Executive 
Board;  Vice-President  Louisiana  Baptist  State 
Convention;  Member  Executive  Board  13th  Dis- 
trict Association;  and  Editor  News-Enterprise, 
one  of  the  leading  Negro  newspapers  of  the  State. 
Bishop  Carter  married  Miss  Jessie  Gaskin  in 
1875.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  nine 
children,  four  of  whom  have  graduated  from  the 
Normal  Course  and  others  are  pursuing  their 
course  in  school.  While  Bishop  Carter  has  been 
busy  "fighting  the  Wolf  at  the  door"  of  his  home, 
he  has  been  blessed  with  a  queenly  woman  on 
the  inside  who  has  made  success  possible  for  him. 
He  removed  recently  from  Mansfield,  and  is  now 
enjoying  life  in  his  new  home  in  Shreveport,  La. 
A  picture  of  his  beautiful  residence  appears  else- 
where in  this  volume. 


BISHOP  JOHN  HARRIS  HENDERSON,  B.  D., 
TEACHER  AND  CHURCH  BUILDER. 

Elder  Henderson  is  the  eighth  child  of  Bishop 
Wyatt  and  Mrs.  Alice  Henderson.  He  was  born 
about  1872,  on  a  Christmas  Day  on  the  Old  In- 
dependent Plantation  near  Bayou  Sara,  La. 

From  infancy  he  has  been  blessed  with  much 
physical  strength.  When  quite  young  he  was 
able  to  split  400  rails  per  day.     The  devoutness 


BISHOP    J.    H.    HENDERSON, 

Hot  Springs,  Ark. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      183 

of  his  parents,  was  instrumental  in  the  conver- 
sion of  him  and  the  other  eight  children.  One 
of  the  brothers  (Bishop  Thomas  Fields  Hender- 
son)  is  at  present  pastor  of  their  home'  church. 

When  quite  a  boy  the  subject  of  our  sketch 
gave  evidence  of  a  bright  intellect  and  a  dogged 
determination  to  educate.  His  father  being  un- 
able to  send  him  to  school,  he  set  out  from  home 
with  $32  in  his  pocket  with  which  to  educate 
himself.  He  found  a  helpful  and  life-long  friend 
in  the  person  of  the  late  Principal,  Dr.  E.  N. 
Smith  at  Howe  Institute,  New  Iberia,  La.  By 
hard  work  and  "keeping  at  it,"  he  graduated  from 
Howe  in  1893.  This  was  not  enough  he  pushed 
his  way  onward  to  Leland  University,  and  there 
began  the  struggle  of  finishing  another  course 
of  study,  some  time  subsisting  on  15  cents  per 
day,  but  he  "stuck  to  his  bush"  and  graduated 
May,  1897. 

After  his  conversion  in  1886,  he  was  baptised 
into  the  membership  of  the  church  by  his  own 
brother.  Mt.  Calvary  Baptist  Church,  New 
Iberia  licensed  him  to  preach  in  1892.  Conscious 
of  his  need  of  Ministerial  preparation,  he  made 
his  way  to  the  Virginia  Union  University,  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  and  after  enduring  hardness  like  a 
good  soldier  he  graduated  B.  D.,  under  the  late 
Dr.  M.  Mc  Vicar,  in  1902.  Brother  Henderson 
was  ordained  in  1901,  and  united  in  marriage  De- 
cember, 1902,  to  Miss  Rainy  Butler — one  of 
Louisiana's  best  women.  Their  union  has  been 
blessed  with  four  children — Leona  Bee,  Joseph 
Lee,  H.  A.,  and  J.  H.  Henderson,  Jr.  After  re- 
signing the  Deanship  of  the  Theological  Depart- 
ment, Coleman  College,  Gibsland,  La.,  Bishop 
Henderson  removed  to  Shreveport  where  he  ac- 


184     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

cepted  a  call  to  Trinity  Baptist  Church,  1903. 
Taking  this  congregation  out  of  the  Lone  Star 
Hall,  he  placed  them  in  a  splendid  church  edi- 
fice valued,  at  $8,000.  After  leaving  here  he  or- 
ganized the  Henderson  Chapel  which  he  built  up 
to  a  valuation  of  $2,700,  with  a  good  membership. 

This  minister  also  did  some  splendid  school 
work,  succeeding  the  writer  as  Principal  of  13th 
District  Academy,  Shreveport,  La.  He  made  the 
school  self-supporting  the  first  year,  and  succeed- 
ed in  effecting  a  purchase  of  121  a^res  of  valu- 
able land  at  a  cost  of  $2,500.  In  1910,  a  "Mace- 
donian cry"  came  from  Minden,  La.,  -to  which 
he  responded,  and  assumed  the  pastorate  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church.  Here  he  erected  one  of 
the  most  modern  structures  in  the  state  at  a  cost 
of  $5,000. 

He  has  occupied  with  credit  the  following  po- 
sitions :  Vice-President  Louisiana  Baptist  State 
Convention ;  Vice  President  Louisiana  Baptist 
State  Sunday  School  Convention. 

At  this  writing  he  pastors  the  Roanoke  Bap- 
tist Church,  Hot  Springs,  Ark.  Bishop  Hender- 
son has  been  here  only  a  short  while,  but  has 
made  a  splendid  record. 


ELDER  I.  A   CARTER,  A  PIONEER  PREACH- 
ER OF  WONDERFUL  POWER. 

About  1847  in  Culpepper  County,  Virginia, 
Bishop  Isaac  Albert  Carter  was  born.  He  came 
into  this  state  in  1858  and  settled  in  Mansfield, 
Louisiana,  Desoto  Parish.  In  1859  he  was  con- 
verted and  baptised  into  the  membership  'of  the 
White  Baptist  Church,  Mansfield,  La.  Pastor 
McCivie  (white)  baptised  him,  in  1862. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       185 


Elder  Carter  came  to  Shreveport  in  1866,  and 
began  holding  prayer  meetings  on  Sunday  even- 
ings with  Sister  Hannah  Battle,  Sister  Priscilla 
Coursey,  Brother  Billy  Lewis  and  others.  From 
these  meetings  Antioch  Church  was  organized, 
other  colored  members  from  the  White  Baptist 
Church  joining  them  in  the  organization.  Dea- 
con John  Howell  of  the  White  Baptist  Church 
urged  this  organization  and  advised  the  Negro 
members  of  the  White  Church  to  unite  .with 
Brother  Carter's  prayer  meeting  crowd  and  set 
up  the  First  Colored  Baptist  Church  of  Shreve- 
port, now  known  as  the  Antioch  Baptist  Church. 

Bishop  Carter  was  ordained  to  the  deaconate 
of  Antioch  about  1870.  After  serving  8  years, 
he  resigned  to  take  charge  of  the  St.  John  Bap- 
tist Church,  Mansfield,  La.,  being  ordained  to  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  May  24,  1879  by  Elders: 
Josiah  Jones,  Isaiah  Jones,  (  col)  and  J.  A.  Hack- 
ett  (white).  Brother  Carter  was  called  to  the 
Pastorate  of  the  Evergreen  Baptist  Church, 
Shreveport  in  1882.  It  was  then  a  small  mem- 
bership of  about  40,  worshipping  in  a  little  rented 
fish  shop  on  Texas  Avenue  and  Jordan  Street. 
His  successful  labors  have  brought  this  member- 
ship to  about  400.  He  has  led  them  out  of  the 
little  fish  house  successfully  through  30  or  more 
years  into  one  of  the  best  frame  structures  in 
the  state.  He  has  pastored  St.  John  at  Mans- 
field more  than  30  years.  During  this  time  he 
has  erected  two  houses  of  worship,  the  second 
being  the  beautiful  frame  building  in  which  they 
now  meet  for  service.  Elder  Carter  secured  the 
services  of  the  writer  to  preach  the  dedication 
sermon  When  they  entered  their  new  building  in 
1896.     He  has  baptised,  perhaps,  more  than  600 


186     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


happy  souls  into  the  membership  of  these  two 
churches.  The  13th  District  accomplished  its 
great  work  educationally  and  otherwise  .during 
his  21  years  of  dauntless  and  successful  leader- 
ship. He  labored  for  21  years,  "the  greatest  Ro- 
man of  them  all." 


SOME  OF  OUR  WORKERS  WHOSE  FULL  BI- 
OGRAPHIES WE  DID  NOT  SUCCEED  IN 
GETTING. 

Bishop  J.  S.  Love,  tireless  worker  of  10th  Dis- 
trict Association,  was  born  in  Richland  Parish. 
After  his  conversion,  he  was  baptised  into  the 
membership  of  Holly  Grove  Church,  by  Elder 
H.  A.  Scates.  October  19th,  1899,  he  was  or- 
dained to  the  work  of  the  Minstry.  He  now 
(1913)  pastors  three  of  the  best  churches  of  the 
10th  District.  Bishop  Love  owns  a  nice  home  at 
Rayville,  La.,  where  one  of  his  churches  is  lo- 
cated and  where  he  is  doing  a  good  work. 

Bishop  E.  S.  Stills  is  one  of  the  strong  young 
preachers  of  the  13th  District.  Although  he  has 
been  ordained  but  a  few  years,  yet  his  work 
speaks  volumes  attesting  his  worth  and  ability 
as  a  preacher.  He  now  (1914)  pastors  the  Gali- 
lee Baptist  Church,  Shreveport,  which  in  point 
of  membership  is  the  largest  or  easily  among  the 
largest  churches  in  the  13th  District  Associa- 
tion. Bishop  Stills  pastors  two  other  churches, 
and  is  doing  much  for  the  Cause  of  Christ.  He 
is  always  anxious  to  study  him  who  said  "Learn 
of  Me,"  having  studied  hard  and  successfully  at 
the  13th  District  Academy  and  Bishop  College, 
Marshall,  Texas. 


MRS.    L.    D.    PRUITT, 
President  Woman's  State  Convention. 


188     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


Bishop  C.  S.  Shelton,  one  of  the  most  honored 
Secretaries  of  the  state,  is  doing  good  work  in 
the  13th  District.  He  has  been  secretary  of  the 
13th  District  Association  since  its  organization 
or  there-about.  He  has  pastored  Trinity  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  other  of  the  District's  best 
churches.  As  Secretary,  he  has  been  identified 
with  all  the  work  of  the  District,  and  stands  well 
with  his  brethren. 

Elder  Robert  Taylor  was,  perhaps,  the  13th 
District's  first  Missionary.  Brother  Taylor  is 
among  the  oldest  and  most  respected  pioneer 
preachers  of  the  state.  For  many  years  he 
served  the  Galilee  Baptist  Church,  Shreveport. 
He  now  (1914)  pastors  successfully  the  Baptist 
Temple,  Shreveport.  Brother  Taylor  is  orthor- 
dox,  bold  and  uncompromising  in  preaching  a 
WHOLE  GOSPEL. 

Elder  S.  M.  Bendau  is  another  of  Louisiana's 
Clergy  who  has  made  good,  and  done  much  for 
the  Master.  As  many  as  four  of  the  13th  Dis- 
trict's country  churches  clamor  for  the  services 
of  Brother  Bendau  constantly.  Bishop  Bendau 
though  comparatively  young  in  the  ministry  has 
done  a  deal  of  work  and  gives  promise  of  still 
larger  usefulness. 

Bishop  B.  Moore,  who  came  into  our  state  a 
few  years  ago  from  Texarkana,  Tex.,  is  pastor- 
ing  the  old  historic  Antioch  Baptist  Church  at 
Shreveport.  In  point  of  location,  architecture 
and  beauty  this  brick  house  of  worship  leads  in 
the  state  among  Negro  Baptists.  It  was  planned 
and  erected  by  Bishop  J.  B.  Green  whom  Brother 
Moore  succeeds.  Elder  Moore  has  accomplished 
much  during  the  short  time  he  has  been  here, 
having  paid  many   dollars  on  the  church   debt 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      189 

and  won  many  souls  for  the  Kingdom,  and  gives 
promise  of  much  more  usefulness. 

Bishop  J.  W.  Wells  is  found  among  the  young 
clergymen  of  North  Louisiana,  energetic,  aggres- 
sive, and  pushful.  He  has  pastored  and  now 
pastors  some  of  the  best  churches  of  the  state. 
Brother  Wells  has  been  elected  to  many  positions 
of  trust  by  his  brethren  with  whom  he  stands 
well,  and  among  whom  he  gives  promise  of  work- 
ing out  a  great  future. 

Elder  J.  W.  Whaley  was  among  the  first  or- 
ganizers of  the  Baptist  forces  in  North  Louisi- 
ana. After  the  New  Orleans  brethren  had  got- 
ten their  work  well  on  foot,  and  the  State  Con- 
vention had  been  organized  and  the  state  dis- 
tricted, Brother  Whaley  with  his  organizers  got 
busy  in  North  Louisiana,  and  within  a  fe*w  years 
associations  were  born  and  churches  dotted  the 
northern  part  of  the  state.  Many  leading 
churches  of  the  state  called  him  to  their  pasto- 
rate, and  his  brethren  honored  him  with  many 
important  positions  of  trust.  When  he  left  for 
Heaven  he  was  and  had  been  for  many  years 
President  Trustee  Board  of  Coleman  College, 
Gibsland,  La. 

Elder  Wm.  Head  like  Bishop  Whaley  led  in 
the  earliest  church  and  associational  organiza- 
tions in  the  northern  part  of  the  state.  He  was 
among  the  first  to  teach  school  in  the  northern 
parishes  of  the  state,  and  to  ask  for  schools  for 
his  recently  emancipated  people.  Brother  Head 
began  serving  his  brethren  as  secretary  of  asso- 
ciations when  it  was  dark — there  being  scarcely 
a  ray  of  intellectual  light.  Very  often  he  would 
be  the  only  man  that  could  read  in  the  meeting. 


190     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


This  was  the  condition  of  the  Baptist  cause  just 
after  we  emerged  from  slavery.  The  brethren 
have  thrust  positions  of  trust  upon  Bishop  Head, 
and  many  leading  churches  have  honored  him 
with  their  pastorate.     All  honor  to  the  pioneers. 

Bishop  Luke  Allen,  Jr..  although  among  the 
youngest  of  Shreveport  pastors,  has  wrought 
well  and  built  up  a  large  membership  at  the 
Avenue  Baptist  Church.  He  has  also  been  called 
to  the  Greenwood  Baptist  Church,  Greenwood, 
La.  Here  as  at  Shreveport  he  has  accomplished 
much  in  helping  "the  man  fartherest  down." 
Bishop  Allen  is  a  strong  young  preacher  with  a 
stentorian  voice.  His  pleasing  manner,  energy 
and  pushfulness  bespeak  for  him  a  brilliant  fu- 
ture. He  is  the  son  of  one  of  Louisiana's  great- 
est preachers — Elder  Luke  Allen,  Sr. 

Elder  L.  W.  Canfield  must  be  numbered  among 
the  men  who  have  done  much  for  the  cause  in 
Louisiana.  The  Republican  Baptist  Church, 
near  the  line  of  Louisiana  and  Texas,  owes  its 
life  to  God  and  the  unselfish  labors  of  this  great 
man.  He  preached  a  faithful  Gospel  to  them" 
"in  season  and  out  of  season,"  making  20  mile 
trips  in  his  buggy  out  of  Shreveport  twice  per 
month;  sometimes  almost  swimming  the  swollen 
creeks.  The  Furrh  community  will  never  for- 
get Bishop  Levi  W.  Canfield.  Henderson  Chap- 
Die  Baptist  Church,  Shreveport,  recently  called 
him  to  its  pastorate. 

Bishop  J.  T.  B.  Labeau  holds  forth  at  Baldwin, 
La.;  where  he  has  done  a  great  work.  For  years 
Brother  Labeau  has  been  among  the  Baptist 
leaders  in  this  section  of  the  state.  He  has  held 
the  high  office  of  Vice-President  oi  the  Louisi- 
ana Baptist  State  Convention,  and  other  positions 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      191 

of  trust  within  the  gift  of  his  brethren.  In  ad- 
dition to  these  positions  some  of  our  first  church- 
es have  called  him  to  pastor  them. 

Elder  Taylor  Frierson — No  truer  Herald  of  a 
whole  Gospel  has  ever  taken  a  text  than  Dr.  Tay- 
lor Frierson.  He  is  orthodox  to  the  core,  and 
believes  in  and  preaches  a  "what  saith  the  Lord" 
Gospel.  He  was  among  the  first  students  who 
entered  Leland  University  in  1870.  After  pas- 
toring  some  years  in  Mississippi,  he  was  called 
to  succeed  the  late  Bishop  Jiles  North  at  Lake 
Charles,  La.,  where  he  now  labors — doing  much 
good.  Leland  University  has  long  since  ac- 
knowledged his  worth  and  ability  as  a  preacher 
by  conferring  upon  him  the  D.  D.  degree.  He  is 
a  pioneer  upon  whom  too  much  honor  cannot  be 
conferred. 

Elder  A.  T.  Sumpter  is  among  the  Louisiana 
preachers  who  are  "doing  things."  .  Lfke  the 
Apostle  Paul  he  works  at  times  with  his  hands 
as  well  as  preaches  the  Word.  He  has  done  much 
in  building  up  the  cause  of  Christ  along  £he  Red 
River  where  he  has  labored  for  years.  He  has 
bought  land  and  built  up  a  nice  home  in  Shreve- 
port.  Brother  Sumpter  is  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  respected  Ministers  of  the  13th  District, 
and  enjoys  the  confidence  of  his  brethren.  He 
has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board 
of  the  Association  and  the  Managing  Board  of  the 
13th  District  Academy. 

Bishop  Jordan  Taylor,  although  deprived  of  a 
great  deal  of  early  school  advantages,  is  easily 
one  of  the  foremost  young  ministers  of  Louisiana. 
His  work  like  Bishop  Sumpter's  has  been  prin- 
cipally in  the  Red  River  bottoms.  Some  of  his 
church  work  is  in  the  hill   country   of  "Bossier 


PRESIDENT    W.    M.    TAYLOR  AND    OTHER 
STATE  CONVENTION  LEADERS  1914. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      193 


Parish.  Brother  Taylor  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
spected and  honored  leaders  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  He  studied  hard  and  successfully 
under  the  writer  in  the  Ministers  Department  at 
the  13th  District  Academy,  and  is  ever  ready  to— 
learn  more  and  more  of  the  "Lowly  Nazarene." 
In  Christianity  and  economy  he  teaches  his  peo- 
ple both  by  precept  and  example,  having  accumu- 
lated some  property,  built  up  a  home,  and  he  has 
let  his  light  so  shine,  and  has  preached  the  -Gos- 
pel with  such  power  that  many  hundreds  have 
been  converted  unto  God. 

Elder  L.  C.  Capers  is,  perhaps,  the  oldest  pio- 
neer in  Bossier  Parish  church  work.  As  far 
back  as  the  writer  can  remember  the  Friend- 
ship Baptist  Church,  Bossier  City,  was  in  his 
charge.  He  was  the  first  Moderator  of  the  local 
association  of  the  13th  District,  prior  to  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Thirteenth  District  Association 
proper.  Brother  Capers  has  presided  over  many 
of  the  churches  of  the  13th  District,  and  baptised 
hundreds  into  church  membership.  The  present 
day  ministry  owes  Elder  Capers  and  scores  of 
other  pioneers  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  their  well 
done  work  in  laying  the  foundation  on  which  the 
work  now  stands,  and  operates. 

Miss  Mattie  E.  Walker,  of  New  Orleans,  La., 
has  the  honor  of  being  one  of  the  first  two  lady 
graduates  of  Leland  University,  and  thus  one  of 
the  race's  first  teachers.  She  is  a  daughter  of  the 
sainted  Bishop  George  W.  Walker,  who  was  one 
of  the  leaders  of  Louisiana  Baptists.  Miss  Walker 
a  teacher  of  larsre  experience,  having  studied  at 
The  Woman's  Home  Mission  Training  School, 
Chicago,  111.,  in  addition  to  her  course  at  Le- 
land.    She  has  taught  successfully  several  years 


194     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

at  the  Baton  Rouge  College,  Baton  Rouge,  La., 
where  she  now  labors. 

Bishop  G.  W.  Toney  within  a  few  years  has 
made  his  way  like  a  meteor  from  ministerial 
obscurity  to  one  of  the  highest  positions  among 
Louisiana  Baptists,  that  is,  Moderator  of  the 
First  District  Association.  Brother  Toney's 
land  disposition,  energy  and  jpushfulness  have 
been  deservedly  rewarded.  He  has  been  serving 
a  New  Orleans  church  for  many  years,  and  has 
accomplished  much  for  the  Master.  Bishop 
Toney  is  a  lover  of  education,  having  spent  sev- 
eral years  at  Leland  himself  as  a  -student,  and 
has  encouraged  scores  of  others  to  do  likewise. 
His  District  actually  carries  on  the  work  that  Je- 
sus commanded  and  emphasized  when  He  said: 
"Ye  have  the  poor  always  with  you,  but  me  ye 
have  not  always."  Matt.  26:11.  "Whoso  stop- 
peth  his  ears  at  the  cry  of  the  poor,  he  shall  also 
cry,  but  shall  not  be  heard."  .  .  .  .Prov.  21:13. 
The  operation  of  the  Old  Folks  Home  proves  that 
Bishop  Toney  is  loyal  to  this  teaching. 

L'Lcler  Guy  Beck  was  one  of  the  first  preachers 
in  the  city  of  New  Orleans  recently  after  the  war. 
He  was  a  power  for  good  in  New  Orleans,  and 
pastored  a  church  in  Carrolton,  where  he  did  a 
deal  of  abiding  work.  Elder  Beck  was  a  grand 
old  man — strong  in  morals,  and  powerful  in  the 
Spirit,  leading  hundreds  to  Christ  and  Heaven. 
He  went  to  his  home  in  Heaven  late  in  the  seven- 
ties or  early  in  the  eighties,  leaving  a  consecrated 
widow  to  mourn  his  loss  to  earth.  She  has  prov- 
en herself  to  be  a  widow  in  deed. 

h'lder  George  Byrd,  an  honored  old  pioneer, 
wrought  well  at  Baton  Rouge  in  early  times.  He 
came  into  the  state  from  Virginia,  and  pastored 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.       195 

the  Shiloh  •  Baptist  Church  many  years.  Brother 
Byrd  was  an  old-school  preacher  believing  wholly 
in  the  "What  saith  the  Lord."  He  was  respected 
by  the  people  of  Baton  Rouge  for  his  moral  worth 
and  Christian  bearing.  When  called  from  labor 
to  reward  he  had  built  up  a  strong  church,  and 
accomplished  the  work  he  was  divinely  sent  to  do. 

b'ldey  Charley  Williams  was  the  noted  pioneer 
worker  below  Canal  Street  in  New  Orleans  for 
many  years.  He  was  the  much  loved  and  hon- 
ored pastor  of  the  Amazon  Baptist  Church.  Al- 
though he  was  down  there  among  many  Roman 
Catholics,  he  held  his  own,  preached  "One  Lord, 
One  Faith  and  One  Baptism"  and  built  up  a 
great  church.  Elder  Williams  was  a  great 
preacher,  loved  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him.  The  work  of  Brother  Williams  goes  on  to- 
day through  the  untiring  labors  of  Bishop  Piercy, 
who  caught  the  banner  when  falling  from  the 
hands  of  Elder  Williams,  and  has  been  gallantly 
marching  with  it  up  the  hill.  Brother  Williams 
hearing  the  blessed  applaudit,  as  it  were,  "Well 
done  thou  good  and  faithful  servant,"  left  New 
Orleans  for  Heaven. 

Among  the  many  efficient  Baptist  teachers  of 
the  state,  is  Professor  J.  S.  Clark,  B.  A.,  who  for 
many  years  was  the  able  instructor,  head  and 
builder  of  Baton  Rouge  College,  and  today 
through  his  energy  and  push  holds  the  highest 
position  of  a  Negro  Educator  within  the  gift  of 
the  State  of  Louisiana,  being  recently  appointed 
by  the  Governor  of  Louisiana,  President  of  the 
state  school — Southern  University.  After  fin- 
ishing a  course  of  study  at  Coleman  College, 
Professor  Clark  entered  Leland  University  where 


196     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists.  • 

he  graduated  with  honors  from  the  B.  A.  degree 
course. 

Professors  S.  S.  Gray,  member  faculty  of  Le- 
land  University;  A.  C.  Priestly,  Principal  High 
School  in  New  Orleans;  A.  J.  Lagard,  B.  A.; 
Francis  Boley,  B.  A.,  Mrs.  Amelia  Boley,  B.  A., 
J.  M.  Frazier,  B.  A.,  Mrs.  J.  M.  Frazier,  Mrs. 
Betsy  Planving,  B.  A.,  Harris  Hamilton,  William 
Boston,  Principal  City  School,  Lake  Charles,  John 
Jones,  Principal  City  School,  Lake  Charles,  Wil- 
liam Thomas,  Principal,  Alexandria  Academy, 
C.  C.  Smith,  B.  A.,  and  scores  of  other  Baptist 
scholars  are  making  good  and  accomplishing 
much.    We  are  proud  of  these. 

Bishop  H.  L.  Davis  was  one  of  the  first  Secre- 
taries of  the  North  West  Louisiana  Association 
No.  2.  After  many  years  of  successful  labor  in 
Desoto  Parish,  he  removed  to  Gibsland,  La., 
Bienville  Parish  where  he  has  with  his  own 
hands  built  a  good  home.  Sister  Mollie  Davis, 
his  wife,  a  zealous  church  worker  has  stood  by 
him  in  the  building  of  a  Christian  home  and  suc- 
ceeding in  the  ministry.  Two  boys  and  one  girl 
bless  their  union. 

Elder  Davis  has  pastored  and  now  pastors  some 
of  the  best  churches  in  the  state.  The  First  Baptist 
Church  at  Minden,  and  the  Republican  Baptist 
Church,  Furrh,  La.,  being  among  the  churches 
pastored.     He  pastors  Republican  at  this  writing. 

Elder  H.  R.  Flynn  is  among  the  oldest  workers 
in  the  state.  He  came  into  the  13th  District 
from  the  10th  District  some  years  ago  and  ac- 
cepted the  pastorate  of  the  Avenue  Baptist 
Church  at  Shreveport.  He  increased  his  member- 
ship of  this  church  to  five  or  six  hundred,  leading 
in  point  of  numbers  every  other  church  in  the 


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198     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

13th  District.  Brother  Flynn  now  pastors  the 
20th  Century  Baptist  Church,  Shreveport,  and 
churches  in  the  10th  District.  Mrs.  H.  R.  Flynn 
who  is  deeply  interested  in  church  and  District 
work  has  helped  the  Elder  much  in  achieving  his 
great  success  in  the  ministry. 

Professor  Albert  W,  Stewart  was  without 
question  one  of  the  greatest  Baptist  school 
teachers  not  only  in  Shreveport,  but  in  all  Amer- 
ica. He  was  kind  in  disposition,  firm  in  decision, 
painstaking  and  thorough  in  his  work  as  a  teach- 
er. As  a  true  husband  he  had  no  superiors  and 
but  few  equals.  When  the  Lord  called  him,  he 
was  standing  loyally  at  his  post,  as  the  efficient 
Principal  of  the  Peabody  Normal,  Shreveport,  La. 

Professor  F.  S.  McKeel  came  to  Louisiana  many 
years  ago  from  New  York  City,  and  became  one 
of  the  first  Negro  teachers  of  North  Louisiana. 

When  overtaken  by  affliction  and  called  to  his 
reward,  he  was  the  honored  principal  of  the  West 
End  Public  School,  Shreveport.  He  had  served 
this  post  for  many  years  with  credit  to  himself, 
denomination  and  race.  Professor  McKeel  was 
a  "Progressive"  ever  ready  to  do  what  he  could 
for  the  uplift  of  his  race  and  humanity.  He  was 
a  devoted  husband  and  father. 

Mrs.  Mar  get  Thomas  and  Mrs.  Grace  Williams 
are  among  the  honored  pioneer  teachers  of  North 
Louisiana,  having  taught  successfully  and  with 
credit  before  many  of  the  present  teachers  were 
born. 

Mrs.  Williams  is  at  present  one  of  the  popular 
teachers  of  the  West  End  Public  School  of  Shreve- 
port. 

Mrs.    Margret    Butler    Thomas    resigned    the 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      199 


work  of  teaching  some  years  ago  for  the  higher 
and  more  honored  duties  of  the  home. 

The  writer  of  this  History  will  always  feel 
grateful  to  her  for  teaching  him  his  alphabet 
before  she  left  the  school  room. 


ELDER  S.  D.  NANCE— PIONEER  AND   EX- 
MODERATOR  OF  4TH  DISTRICT    ASSOCI- 
ATION. 

Brother  Simon  Daniel  Nance  was  born  of  Mr. 
Simon  and  Mrs.  Martha  Nance  in  Walker  Coun- 
ty, Texas  not  far  from  Hunfsville,  June,  1844. 
His  father  was  of  pure  African  blood ;  his  mother 
was  half  Indian. 

After  the  death  of  his  owner — Captain  Black — 
Elder  Nance  was  brought  to  Mississippi.  At 
the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  he  ran  away  and 
joined  the  Federal  Army.  After  the  war  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Amelia  M.  Pierce  in  1871.  Their  union 
has  been  blessed.  Miss  Maggie  Nance,  their 
daughter,  has  developed  into  a  splendid  young 
woman,  and  serves  at  this  writing  as  one  of  Tus- 
kegee  Institute's  best  teachers. 

As  to  Elder  Nance's  schooling ;  he  spent  5  days 
in  school,  so  meager  were  his  opportunities  in 
those  dark  days.  And  yet  with  practically  no 
schooling  he  forged  his  way  to  the  front.  On  the 
2nd  Sunday  in  October,  1873,  after  conversion  he 
was  baptised  into  the  membership  of  the  Antioch 
Baptist  Church  by  Elder  John  C.  Williams,  and 
January  9th,  1879  he  was  ordained  by  Elders 
John  Carter,  Ambrose  Harris,  and  Caroline  Weal. 

While  Pastor  of  Mt.  Carmel  Baptist  Church, 
which  grew  out  of  a  prayer  meeting  on  his  gal- 


200    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

lery  commenced  in  1881,  he  was  elected  Modera- 
tor of  what  is  now  the  4th  District  Association, 
which  position  he  creditably  held  19  years.  Elder 
Nance  was  member  and  secretary  of  District  Ed- 
ucational Board  9  years  and  Missionary  8  years. 
He  has  pastored  the-  following  churches :  Mount 
Carmel,  St.  Paul  No.  2,  Antioch,  Mt.  Zion,  Mace- 
donia, Magnolia,  Bethlehem,  Mt.  Pilgrim,  Beech 
Hill,  Little  Antioch,  Belladonia  and  Cypress 
Grove.  The  Association  presided  over  by  Elder 
Nance  was  organized  in  1883  under  the  name — 
First  Regular  Baptist  Association  by  the  follow- 
ing brethren  and  others. :  Elders  Daniel  Dorsey, 
Isaac  Langdon,  Logan  Peterson,  Sam  Tucker, 
George  Tilly,  Ruffin  Thornton,  Major  Hamilton 
and  Henry  Hewley.  No  Pioneer  in  the  state  has 
labored  harder  and  more  zealously  for  the  race 
and  the  Master's  cause  than  Bishop  Simon  Dan- 
iel Nance. 


SOME  OF  OUR  MANY  SCHOOLS. 

LELAND  UNIVERSITY. 

Leland  was  founded  by  Deacon  Holbrook 
Chamberlain  in  1870  at  New  Orleans,  La.,  in  the 
basement  of  Tulane  Avenue  Baptist  Church.  The 
writer  has  often  been  told  of  this  good  man's  self- 
denial  and  self-sacrificing  spirit  when  establish- 
ing this  great  institution  for  the  Louisiana  Ne- 
gro Baptists  and  the  Negro  race.  According  to 
Dr.  R.  B.  Cook  in  his  "History  of  the  Baptists 
in  All  Ages  and  Countries,"  it  seems  that  Le- 
land's  first  President  was  an  acting  President — 
Elder  M.  C.  Cole.  Then  follows  the  line  of  Pres- 
idents from  1870    to    1914 — Drs.    Gregory    and 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      201 

Barker;  Professor  Traver,  and  then  it  appears 
that  Dr.  Cole  acted  President  again  until  the 
election  of  Dr.  Edward  Cushing  Mitchell  in  1887. 
Dr.  George  H.  Felton  acted  President  a  while 
after  the  death  of  Dr.  Mitchell  when  Dr.  R.  W. 
Perkins  was  elected  President.  At  present 
(1914)  Professor  Alfred  A.  Earl  is  President. 
Although  he  has  been  there  only  a  short  while,  he 
has  thus  far  made  a  successful  fight  for  a  greater 
Leland  and  made  many  improvements. 

Deacon  Chamberlain  wrought  more  than  he 
knew.  He  has  established  this  institution  •for  us 
and  gone  on,  but  his  good  works  follow  him.  Le- 
land has  been  and  is  the  Educational  Mother  of 
Louisiana  Negro  Baptists.  From  her  walls  have 
gone  out  some  of  the  best  and  most  serviceable 
men  our  race  has  produced — some  of  whom  are: 
T.  A.  Walker,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  Professors  Jonas 
Henderson,  A,  M.,  John  Jones,  W.  0.  Boston, 
Francis  Boley,  B.  A.,  Alfred  Priestly,  A.  M.,  S. 
S.  Gray,  A.  M.,  A.  J.  Lagard,  B.  A.,  A.  L.  Yates, 
B.  A.,  John  Yates,  B.  A.,  J.  S.  Clark,  B.  A.,  J.  D. 
Stewart,  B.  A.,  J.  L.  Crosley,  B.  A.,  J.  M.  Frazier, 

B.  A.,  M.  J.  Foster,  B.  A.,  Drs.  C.  L.  Fisher,  A. 
M.,  A.  F.  Owens,  John  Marks,  Taylor  Frierson, 

C.  S.  Collins,  B.  A.,  M.  D.,  A.  H.  Brown,  B.  A., 
M.  D.,  Wm.  Hicks,  B.  A.,  D.  D.,  and  scores  of 
others  too  numerous  to  mention  here.  Through 
these  and  her  other  great  sons  and  daughters,  the 
power  and  influence  of  Leland  touches  every  part 
of  Louisiana  as  well  as  extends  into  other  states 
and  Canada.  This  school  is  beautifully  situated 
on  St.  Charles  Avenue.  It  comprises  two  large 
brick  buildings  and  about  10  acres  of  very  val- 
uable land.     Jt  has  an  endowment  of  $100,000  or 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      203 

more.  Dr.  Simmons  (white)  was  Leland's  first 
instructor. 

Coleman  College  is  easily  one  of  the  greatest 
Negro  Baptist  Schools  not  only  in  Louisiana,  but 
in  the  South.  It  is  beautifully  located  at  Gibs- 
land,  La.,  on  one  of  the  most  picturesque  hills  in 
the  state.  The  ridge  on  which  sits  two  three- 
story  brick  buildings;  one  two  and  a  half  story 
brick  building;  and  two  two-story  frame  build- 
ings, is  nearly  a  complete  horse  shoe  made  by 
the  hand  of  nature's  God.  This  institution  is  the 
life-work  of  Professor  C.  L.  Coleman  who  found- 
ed it  in  1888.  Brother  Coleman  began  practically 
with  no  house,  but  to-day  the  above  mentioned 
stately  buildings  beautify  the  campus. 

Valuation  about  26  years  ago  practically  noth- 
ing; today,  its  valuation  is  $60,000,  and  it  is  the 
largest  school  in  the  state  owned  exclusively  by 
Negro  Baptists.  Through  President  Coleman's 
influence  and  push  it  is  supported  more  liberally 
by  the  white  people  of  the  North  than  any  other 
school  of  its  kind  in  the  South. 

It  is  supported  by  the  following:  The  Home 
Mission  Society  of  Boston;  The  Home  Mission 
Society  of  New  York ;  The  United  States  Govern- 
ment Bureau  of  Agriculture;  and  by  the  Negro 
Baptists  of  Louisiana.  It  has  been  and  is  now 
doing  untold  good  for  the  Baptist  cause  in  Louis- 
iana, having  sent  out  many  splendid  young  men 
and  women.  Coleman  College  emphasizes  Chris- 
tian training,  not  failing  each  session  to  lay  aside 
books  for  a  week  or  ten  days,  and  engage  in  re- 
vival work,  with  wonderful  success.  Present 
Faculty:  O.  L.  Coleman,  A.  M.,  President;  J.  D. 
Stewart,  A.  B.,  Associate  President;  A.  L.  Yates, 
B.  A.,  O.  W.  Gray,  C.  R.  Dickerson,    Principal 


204     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

District  Department;  T.  J.  Jordan,  Bishop  P.  B. 
Lewis,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Coleman,  B.  S.,  Mary  Clay, 
Rosa  Lewis,  and  Katie  Smith. 

Houma  Academy,  Houma,  La.,  fostered  and 
operated  by  the  Fifth  District  Association.  It 
was  founded  by  this  Association  under  the  lead- 
ership of  the  late  Dr.  H.  C.  Cotton — a  man  of 
sterling  worth  and  ability.  The  Academy's  val- 
uation is  more  than  $2,000.  Professor  A.  J. 
Lagard,  B.  A.,  renders  excellent  services  as  Prin- 
cipal. 

Israel  Academy  was  founded  by  the  late  Bishop 
H.  C.  Cotton.  It  is  a  large  well  equipped  two 
story  frame  building.  This  school  is'  fostered 
principally  by  the  great  church  at  Bell  Alliance 
of  which  Dr.  Cotton  was  the  honored  pastor  for 
many  years.  Miss  Philemine  Joseph  succeeds 
here  as  Principal.  Valuation  of  this  school  is 
more  than  $2000. 

Minden  Academy,  located  at  Minden,  La.,  was 
founded  in  1905  by  Bishops:  J.  R.  Moore,  P.  P. 
Mellon,  Th.  B.,  J.  M.  Moore,  A.  G.  McDaniel,  and 
others  of  the  North  West  Louisiana  Association 
No.  1.  Its  main  building  is  a  two  story  frame 
structure  situated  on  about  33  acres  of  good  land. 
Total  valuation  $3000.  It  is  doing  good  work 
under  (1913)  under  the  management  of  Professor 
J.  D.  Johnson,  B.  S. 

Mansfield  Colored  Industrial  High  School, 
Mansfield,  La.,  is  fostered  by  the  North  West 
Louisiana  Association  No.  2.  It  was  founded  in 
1902  by  Professor  John  H.  Whaley  and  Trustees. 
It  comprises  both  a  boy's  and  girl's  dormitory, 
situated  in  a  valuable  plot  of  ground.  Valuation 
of  school  (1909)  was  $5000  and  still  it  grows 
under  the  successful  management  of  its  efficient 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      205 


head,  Professor  J.  H.  Whaley,  graduate  of 
Straight  University  and  a  summer  student  of 
Chicago  University. 

Hoive  Institute  was  established  at  New  Iberia, 
La.,  in  1890.  The  sons  of  Peter  Howe  of  We- 
nona,  111.,  who  out  of  filial  regard  for  the  wishes 
of  their  revered  father,  placed  this  beautiful 
property  under  the  control  of  the  President  of 
Leland  University  for  a  number  of  years.  In 
1904  they  gave  the  property  in  simple  fee  to  the 
school  management,  and  added  a  handsome  dona- 
tion. At  this  time  (1914)  the  Institute  is  fos- 
tered and  controlled  by  the  Sixth  District  Asso- 
ciation. In  1905-6  the  Association  erected  a 
splendid  two-story  brick  building  costing  $8000. 
Professor  Jonas  Henderson,  B.  A.,  A.  M.,  is  at 
the  head  of  this  institution.  He  is  one  of  the 
leading  educators,  not  only  of  his  state  but  of  his 
race.  For  many  years  he  was  an  honored  mem- 
ber of  the  Faculty  of  Leland  University,  filling 
with  credit  to  himself  and  denomination  the  chair 
of  History  and  Mathematics.  The  writer  being 
one  of  his  old  pupils  knows  personally  of  the 
worth  and  ability  of  this  great  man.  His  wife— - 
a  splendid  woman  and  a  graduate  of  Leland  Uni- 
versity, is  matron  of  this  school. 

Leland  Academy  is  located  at  Donaldsonville, 
La.  In  1892,  its  Trustees  made  application  when 
it  became  auxiliary  to  Leland  University.  Prof- 
fessor  S.  S.  Gray,  A.  M.,  was  at  one  time  Prin- 
cipal of  this  school.. 

The  Tenth  District  High  School  at  Monroe,  La., 
is  in  a  prosperous  condition  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Professor  M.  J.  Foster,  B.  A.  Its  recent 
enrollment  reached  208.  At  present  it  comprises 
a  large  two-story  frame  building,  a  smaller  one 


206    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

and  a  large  plot  of  ground.  This  school  is  fos- 
tered and  controlled  by  the  10th  District  Associ- 
ation. It  stands  as  a  beacon  light  in  North  Louis- 
iana, and  is  accomplishing  much. 

Gpelousas  Academy  was  founded  in  1900,  by- 
Bishop  L.  C.  Simon,  Opelousas,  La.  Its  valuation 
was  $20,000  in  1911.  This  institution  has  a  good 
enrollment  and  is  doing  splendid  work  under  the 
principalship  of  Professor  B.  J.  Hurd,  B.  A. 

Central  Louisiana  Academy  is  the  widely 
known  school  oi  the  8th  District  Association.  It 
was  established  under  the  management  of  Prof. 
Warner  R.  Wright,  Elders  C.  L.  Roberts,  H.  B.  N. 
Brown,  Israel  Thomas  and  others  were  with  Pro- 
fessor Wright  in  founding  and  building  up  this 
institution.  It  has  done  a  deal  of  good  and  last- 
ing work  in  the  central  part  of  the  state. 

Cheyneyville  Academy  was  founded  by  Dr.  C.  L. 
Roberts  with  the  assistance  of  his  three  local 
churches,  and  it  has  been  operated  with  marked 
success,  helping  the  Baptist  cause  in  and  around 
Cheneyville.  It  has  been  principalled  by  some  of 
the  race's  strongest  men :  C.  S.  Collins,  A.  B.,  M. 
D.,  A.  J.  Lagard,  B.  A.,  A.  L.  Yates,  B.  A.,  and 
Wm.  Thomas.  The  present  encumbent  (1913) 
is  Professor  Charles  A.  Martin. 

Bunkie  Academy  is  beautifully  located  in  the 
town  of  Bunkie,  La.  Professor  A.  J.  Willis  is 
the  efficient  principal.  He  is  "on  the  wall,"  do- 
ing a  great  work  for  Bunkie  and  cannot  at  this 
time  come  down.  He  has  enlarged  the  building 
twice  and  yet  there  is  not  enough  room. 


WOMEN'S  WORK  THROUGHOUT  THE  STATE 

Almost  every  Association  of  brothers,  from  the 
Gulf  to  the  line  of  Arkansas  and  from  the  line  of 


ELDER    C.    W.    BROOKS, 

1136   Cherokee   St.,   New   Orleans,   La. 


208    History  of  Louisiana  Negro- Baptists. 

Mississippi  on  the  east  to  the  line  of  Texas  on 
the  west,  has  an  Association  of  Sisters  working 
by  its  side. 

These  Christian  women  have  done  and  are  do- 
ing much  good  in  their  respective  districts.  In 
the  First  District,  the  13th  and  the  Freedmen's 
the  women  are  loyally  supporting  Old  Folks 
Homes.  In  other  Districts  they  are  helping  the 
brethren  to  foster  schools. 

I  tried  to  get  the  work  of  these  Sisters  more 
in  detail,  but  could  not.  It  must  be  said  to  their 
credit  that  they  have  already  won  the  blessed  ap- 
plaudit  "Well  done." 


SOME  OF  OUR  MANY  SCHOOLS. 

Thirteenth  District  Normal  and  Collegiate  In- 
stitute in  the  city  of  Shreveport.  is  owned  and 
fostered  by  the  13th  District  Association.  It 
was  founded  as  the  13th  District  Academy  by 
Wm.  Hicks,  A.  B.,  D.  D.,  the  Trustees  of  Provi- 
dence Academy  (who  afterwards  went  into  disso- 
lution) ;  and  President  I.  A.  Carter  and  his  Ex- 
ecutive Board  of  the  13th  District  Association. 
The  school  afterwards  took  the  name — 13th  Dis- 
trict Institute  at  the  suggestion  of  Bishop  Hicks. 
Dr.  A.  M.  Newman  was  elected  Supervisor  of 
Education;  with  Brother  Hicks  as  Principal. 
The  Institute  got  down  to  work.  13th  District 
Baptists  accomplished  much  during  the  9  years 
of  Professor's  Hicks'  encumbency.  He  opened 
the  school  in  an  old  dilapidated  dwelling  house  in 
1894,  which  he  soon  moved  back;  converted  it 
into  a  dining  room  and  kitchen;  and  erected  in 
1899,  a  magnificent  $3,000  two-story  structure. 
The  enrollment    in    the    Boarding    Department 


Elder  C.  L.  Fisher,  D.  D. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      209 

reached  about  40,  and  of  the  entire  school  nearly 
three  hundred,  with  a  maximum  annual  receipt 
of  $2,000.       Professor  Hicks  organized  a  School 
Land  Saving  Association  composed  of  both  his 
converted  and  unconverted  friends;  by  means  of 
which  five  lots  on  west  side  of  the  two  already 
paid  for  school  lots    were    secured    as    District 
property.     During  the  successful  labors  of  Dr.  J. 
H.  Henderson  as  Principal,  120    acres    were  se- 
cured   (about  seven  miles  out  from  town)    and 
added  to  the  school  property;  and  also  the  Boys' 
Department  was  enlarged. 

Other  Principals  who  have  served  this  school 
successfully  are:  Professors  A.  C.  Capers,  B.  A., 
A.  Letherman,  B.  A.,  A.  Cheatham,  B.  A.,  and 
Harris  Hamilton.  The  Institute  is  getting  on 
nicely  now  (1914)  under  Professor  J.  E.  Wilson. 
The  buildings  and  land  of  this  institution  easily 
value  $10,000. 

Benton  Colored  High  School  was  organized 
in  1907  by  Elders  S.  H.  Ralph,  L.  Ford,  S.  W. 
Jackson,  Z.  Flenouy,  W.  H.  Hall  and  I.  S.  Mitch-" 
ell,  Jr.  Bishop  Ralph  has  wrought  well  as  Prin- 
cipal. This  school  is  valued  at  $1,000  and  has  an 
enrollment  of  150.  It  is  destined  to  do  much 
good  in  this  part  of  the  state,  being  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Calvary  Association. 

East  Carrol  Normal  and  Industrial  Institute 
is  one  of  our  schools  in  North  East  Louisiana. 
It  is  located  at  Lake  Providence  on  60  acres  of 
fine  land.  This  school  comprises  three  build- 
ings. It  was  founded  in  1898  by  Bishop  J.  E. 
Brunswick.  Under  tjhe  present  efficient  man- 
agement of  Professor  Emmett  Louis  Washburn, 
B.  A.,  it  bids  fair  to  do  much  good  as  the  years 
come  and  go. 


210      History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Ruston  Colored  Normal  Institute,  Ruston, 
La.,  is  one  of  the  best  Baptist  schools  in  the 
state.  It  was  begun  about  1896  by  Professor 
S.  A.  Williams  and  others.  After  Professor 
Williams'  encumbency,  Professor  I.  S.  Powell 
was  elected  to  the  Principalship.  That  Profes- 
sor Powell  has  succeeded  here  and  done  a  great 
work  nobody  doubts.  This  school  comprises  two 
large  two-story  frame  building  situated  on  a  nice 
plot  of  ground.  The  grounds  and  buildings 
easily  value  two  or  three  thousand  dollars. 
Some  of  our  most  brilliant  Baptist  sons  have 
been  connected  with  this  school;  prominent 
among  whom  was  the  late  Professor  William 
Allen,  B.  A. — one  of  the  most  scholarly  young 
men  that  has  graduated  from  Leland.  He  was  bril- 
liant, pleasing  in  manners,  morally  strong,  and 
a  teacher  of  whom  all  Louisiana  Baptists  were 
proud.  But  the  Lord  took  him  after  he  had 
worked  here  successfully  only  a  short  while. 

Professor  Powell  did  not  make  excuses  here 
at  this  school;  he  made  good. 

Homer  Industrial  and  Bible  Training  School 
was  founded  by  Bishop  R.  A.  Mayfield  in  1898. 
A  Board  of  Mission  sisters  and  brothers  as- 
sisted him  in  the  organization.  Elder  Mayfield 
labored  hard  but  with  marked  success  in  the  es- 
tablishment of  this  school.  Having  just  gradu- 
ated from  the  Ruston  Normal  Institute,  he  came 
to  this  almost  forsaken  field  and  threw  himself 
into  this  work.  As  a  result  of  his  labors  he  has 
built  up  one  of  the  best  schools  in  the  state,  val- 
uing $3000  or  more.  It  is  one  of  the  North 
Louisiana  Beacon  Lights.  After  the  establish- 
ment of  the  school,  Bishop  Mayfield  became  Presi- 
dent.    The  following  have  served  as  Principals: 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.  •   211 


T.  C.  Compton,  B.  A.,  and  B.  C.  Lewis,  B.  A.  The 
Lord  has  taken  Professor  Compton  to  heaven. 
He  was  a  splendid  young  man — strong  in  intel- 
lect and  morals.  To  know  him  was*to  respect 
and  love  him.  After  well  done  work  at  Homer, 
he  accepted  the  principalship  of  the  Junction 
Arkansas  Baptist  Academy,  Junction,  Ark., 
where  he  was  doing  splendid  work  when  he  was 
called  away.  The  Baptists  lost  in  his  departure 
an  efficient  teacher,  a  loyal  husband,  and  a  de- 
voted father.  Homer  Industrial  and  Bible  Train- 
ing School  gives  promise  of  a  deal  of  future  use- 
fulness. 


A  SUPPLEMENTARY  CHAPTER. 

NEGRO  BAPTIST  BEGINNINGS  IN  AMERICA. 

Dr.  Richard  B.  Cook  in  his  "Story  of  the  Bap- 
tists in  All  Ages  and  Countries,"  says  that  the 
Island  of  Jamaici.,  W.  I.,  first  belonged  to  Spain, 
and  then  to  England.  After  the  Indians  were 
driven  off,  the  Island  became  populated  by  Span- 
iards and  English.  Negroes  from  America,  and 
not  Missionaries  from  England  first  began  Bap- 
tist Missionary  work  on  this  Island."  The  Voice 
of  Jubilee"  said  that  as  early  as  1814,  the  English 
Baptist  Missionaries  on  arriving  at  Jamaica 
found  that  black  men  from  America  had  preached 
the  Gospel  there,  and  prepared  a  people  to  hail 
their  coming,  to  receive  their  message  and  to  as- 
sist in  propagating  the  Gospel  through  the  Island 
of  Jamaica. 

As  early  as  1783,  Elder  George  Lisle  went 
from  Georgia  to  Jamaica  as  the  slave  of  an  Eng- 
lish officer.  At  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary 
War  and  at  the  death  of  his  master,  he  was  left 


212    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


free.  He  preached  the  Gospel  here  with  telling 
effect  and  organized  the  first  Baptist  Church  on 
the  Island. 

At  Kingston,  moved  by  the  ignorance  and  vice 
of  his  race,  he  preached  to  them  at  the  race- 
course and  in  his  own  "hired  room."  He  organ- 
ized a  church  of  four  members,  who  were 
refugees  from  America  like  himself.  Like  the 
Apostle  Paul,  he  supported  himself,  as  he 
preached  the  Gospel,  by  labor  with  his  own 
hands.  This  Pioneer  of  pioneers  told  the  story 
of  the  Cross  to  bond  and  free  on  neighboring 
plantations  and  to  distant  parts  of  the  Island. 
His  labors  were  blessed  so  abundantly  that  in 
about  seven  years  he  had  baptised  five  hundred 
converts,  and  in  1793  built  the  first  dissenting 
chapel  in  Jamaica.  This  subjected  him  and  his 
followers  to  every  kind  of  insult  and  persecution. 
He  was  thrown  into  prison  for  preaching  sedition 
"loaded  with  irons  and  his  feet  fastened  in  the 
stocks,  not  even  his  wife  nor  his  children  were 
permitted  to  see  him."  He  was  imprisoned  more 
than  once,  and  was  at  one  time  tried  for  his  life, 
but  acquitted.  Elders  George  Gives  and  T.  N. 
Swingle  were  co-laborers  of  Brother  Lisle 
They  organized  a  Second  Church  of  700  at  Kings- 
ton. Another  church  was  established  by  Moses 
Baker,  a  converted  drunkard,  at  Crooked  Spring. 
One  of  Brother  Lisle's  contemporaries  whose 
name  I  cannot  obtain  was  "hung  for  preaching 
and  baptising."  Notwithstanding  a  rigidly  en- 
forced law  from  1805  to  1814,  forbidding  preach- 
ing to  slaves,  the  Word  was  preached  with  power 
and  sinners  converted  by  the  hundred.  Through 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  these  pioneers 
brought  liberty  to  the  souls  of  these  bondmen; 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      213 


England's    Emancipation    Proclamation  brought 
freedom  to  their  bodies  August  28,  1833. 

Dr.  R.  B.  Cooks  says  it  was  the  correspondence 
of  Elders  George  Lisle,  Moses  Baker  and  others, 
with  Drs.  Ryland  and  Rippon  of  England,  that 
led  finally  to  the  sending  out  of  the  English  Bap- 
tist Missionaries.  That  the  work  of  these  Mis- 
sionaries was  a  success  is  evidenced  by  the  fact 
that  it  not  only  became  self-sustaining,  but  in 
1842,  there  were  45  missionaries  to  leave  for 
Africa,  to  take  the  Gospel  to  their  brethren  at 
home.  Some  one  said  to  this  departing  Van- 
guard of  African  Missionaries,  "Perhaps  you  will 
be  made  slaves  by  the  heathen  if  you  go."  Their 
prompt  reply  was,  "We  have  been  made  slaves 
for  men ;  we  can  be  made  slaves  for  Christ." 

A  Jamaica  Baptist  by  the  name  of  Keith  sold 
what  he  possessed,  bought  a  few  clothes  only,  and 
leaving  his  beloved  companion  for  two  years," 
worked  his  way  4;o  Africa  and  preached  the  Gos- 
pel on  the  very  spot  where  he  had  been  stolen." 
By  1887,  the  number  of  Jamaica  churches  had 
grown  from  the  first  church  organized  by  Broth- 
er Lisle  to  142  live  Christian  organizations  with  a 
membership  of  31,000  reporting  as  many  as 
2,140  baptisms  per  year.  Dr.  Walter  H.  Brooks 
refers  to  Elder  George  Lisle  as  "The  Black  Apos- 
tle." 

It  seems  that  the  work  in  Port-au-Prince, 
Hayti  was  more  difficult  than  that  in  Jamaica. 
Elder  W.  C.  Monroe,  ordained  in  1835  in  New 
York,  met  with  so  much  discouragement  there 
that  he  abandoned  the  work,  however  it  was 
afterwards  resumed.  In  1887  there  were  six 
churches,  and  five  ministers  in  Hayti;  and  in  all 


T.    A.    WALKER, 
Baton  Rouge,  La. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      215 

the  West  Indies    189    churches,    109    preachers, 
37,564  members. 

BEGINNINGS  OF  AFRICAN  MISSIONS. 

The  first  missionary  from  America  to  Africa 
was  Elder  Lot  Carey.  Although  a  slave  in  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  he  applied  himself  to  business  and 
soon  bought  the  freedom  of  himself  and  his  two 
children  for  $850  in  1813.  As  early  as  1807  he, 
had  joined  the  Baptist  church,  and  in  1815,  he 
became  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the  formation 
of  the  African  Missionary  Society  in  Richmond, 
Va.  Under  very  adverse  circumstances  they 
raised,  within  five  years,  $700  for  missions.  This 
was  one  of  the  first  Missionary  Societies  of  Amer- 
ica ;  another  being  formed  in  Georgia  soon  after. 
Elders  Carey  and  Colin  Teague,  both  of  Rich- 
mond, labored  first  among  the  Bassas,  Monrovia, 
Liberia,  where  there  was  an  American  Colony  as 
early  as  1822.  Here  the  first  Christian  church 
by  Negro  Missionaries  was  established,  and  six 
were  baptised  in  1823 ;  nine  more  happy  converts 
the  following  year.  Elder  Carey  became  pastor, 
and  Brother  Teague  returned  to  Sierra  Leone 
where  they  had  first  landed.  Elder  Carey  ex- 
tended the  missionary  work  to  Cape  Grand 
Mount,  among  'the  Veys,  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful and  intelligent  tribes  on  the  coast."  He  main- 
tained missions  at  both  places,  and  "manifested 
much  energy  and  faithfulness  in  his  labors,  great 
sagacity  in  civil  affairs,  and  remarkable  power 
and  earnestness  as  a  preacher."  At  one  time 
this  missionary  was  Liberia's  Vice-Governor,  and 
"became  acting  Governor  during  the  absence  of 
Governor  Ashmun.     One  of  the  saddest  tragedies 


216    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

on  missionary  fields  occurred  when  Elder  Carey 
was  accidently  killed  by  the  explosion  of  gun- 
powder, November,  1828. 

Elders  A.  W.  Anderson,  J.  Lewis,  and  Elder 
H.  Teague,  son  of  Brother  A.  Teague,  reinforced 
the  white  missionaries  on  the  West  Coast  of 
Africa,  there  being  some  doubt  as  to  whether  the 
white  missionaries  could  stand  the  climate.  After 
the  death  or  departure  of  the  white  brethren,  the 
mission  work  was  carried  on  by  Elder  J.  Von- 
brunn,  a  native  Bassa. 

Bishops  J.  Day,  and  A.  L.  Jones  were  sent  to 
Africa  in  1846,  by  the  Southern  Baptist  Society, 
and  from  1846  to  1856  other  Negro  missionaries 
were  appointed,  and  in  14  Liberian  villages, 
churches  and  schools  were  established.  Two 
churches  were  organized  in  Sierra  Leone.  "In 
1860  there  were  24  stations,  and  churches,  18 
pastors,  1,258  members,  26  tachers  and  665  pu- 
pils." Whn  this  mission  was  closed  in  1875, 
Missionaries  W.  J.  Davis  and  W.  W.  Colley  re- 
sumed work  in  Yoruba,  where  they  were  heartily 
received  as  "God  men."  Thousands  had  been 
converted  while  the  work  went  on,  and  "many 
Godly  men  and  women  of  the  race  were  de- 
veloped." 

Elder  J.  Day  was  a  very  active  missionary. 
He  went  to  Liberia  in  1830,  "resigned  a  judge- 
ship, and  was  elected  Lieutenant-Governor  in 
1847.  "In  1854,  the  church  at  Monrovia  called 
him  to  its  pastorate.  While  here  he  founded  and 
presided  over  a  high  school  in  which  were  the 
following  departments:  Elementary,  Classical, 
and  Theological.  This  pioneer  accomplished 
much  at  this  place.     He  made  extended  preach- 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      217 

ing  tours,  and  reported  "a  Sunday-school  in  every 
village  and  the  word  preached  statedly  to  more 
than  10,000  heathens. 

Elder  J.  T.  Bowen  founded  the  Yoruba  Mission 
in  1850,  and  in  1853  other  missionaries  were  sent 
out.  Through  the  labors  of  Brother  Bowen  sta- 
tions were  opened,  residences  and  chapels  were 
built,  and  schools  and  churches  established. 

The  first  Negro  Missionary  sent  out  under  ap- 
pointment by  a  Colored  Board  was  Bishop  S. 
Cosby,  in  1878.  Virginia  Baptists  sent  him 
forth  to  labor  in  their  Fatherland.  Brother  Cos- 
by had  with  him  in  the  work  Elder  W.  W.  Colley 
instead  of  Missionary  David  who  had  returned 
home.  Thus  Brother  Bowen  opened  the  way  for 
colored  missionaries. 

In  1879,  South  Carolina  Baptists  sent  Elder  H. 
N.  Bouey  as  their  missionary  to  Africa.  He  took 
charge  of  a  missionary  church  at  Royeville, 
where  he  labored  three  years  and  returned  home. 
Brother  Bouey  labored  here  with  marked  suc- 
cess, permanently  organizing  churches  and  asso- 
ciations. Missionary  J.  O.  Hayes  was  a  contem- 
porary of  Bishop  Bouey,  and  did  effective  work 
in  Africa.  As  early  as  1887,  Dr.  Cook  said,  in- 
cluding Western,  Southern  and  Central  Africa, 
where  the  Congo  Mission  is,  there  are  three  As- 
sociations, 81  churches,  55  ministers,  and  3,012 
members.  The  slogan  of  Colored  Baptists  every- 
where was  "Africa  for  Christ." 

OUR  EARLIEST   ORGANIZATION  IN  THE  NORTH. 

Bishop  R.  L.  Perry,  Ph.  D.,  says  (1887)  "The 
million  colored  Baptists  in  the  United  States 
maintain  their  own  churches,    associations    and 


218     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

missionary  conventions.  Their  early  history  in 
the  South  was  interwoven  with  the  history  of  the 
white  churches,  but  since  emancipation  they 
have  made  their  own  independent  record  in  the 
South,  just  as  they  were  doing  in  the  North  be- 
fore the  war.  They  began  in  the  North  about 
80  years  ago — that  is  the  Joy  Street  Church,  Bos- 
ton, Mass,  was  constituted  in  1805;  the  Abys- 
sinian Church,  New  York,  in  1808,  and  the  First 
African  Church,  Philadelphia,  in  1809.  From 
these  as  mother  churches  others  were  established, 
till,  in  1840,  there  had  been  such  an  increase  in 
churches  in  Pennsylvania,  Connecticut,  Rhode  Is- 
land and  Massachusetts,  that  they  then  formed 
themselves  into  a  Missionary  Convention  for 
work  among  their  own  race. 

The  work  of  this  body  was  confined  to  the 
North,  excepting  an  effort  to  establish  a  mission 
in  Africa,  till  peace  in  1865,  enabled  them  to  enter 
the  South,  to  which  their  whole  attention  was 
given.  At  their  26th  Anniversary,  at  Richmond, 
Va.,  August,  1886,  this  body  united  with  the 
North  Western  and  Southern  Convention.  The 
united  bodies  took  the  name  of  the  Consolidated 
American  Baptist  Missionary  Convention,  and 
did  a  grand  work  in  the  South.  Some  difference 
of  opinion  arose  as  to  jurisdiction  and  manage- 
ment at  Richmond  in  1877,  which  indicated .  ap- 
proaching disruption.  This  Convention  still  ex- 
ists, but  the  fields  it  once  occupied  are  now  worked 
by  new  organizations :  the  New  England  Baptist 
Missionary  Convention  in  the  North ;  the  Baptist 
Foreign  Missionary  Convention  of  the  United 
States  and  Territories  in  the  West. 

In  each  quarter  of  the  United  States — North, 
South,   East  and  West,  there  are  some  strong 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      219 

churches  and  able  men,  who  take  the  lead  in  mis- 
sion work  and  denominational  action  in  their  re- 
spective societies.  The  Foreign  Mission  Conven- 
tion of  the  South,  and  the  General  Association  of 
the  Western  States  and  Territories,  have  Foreign 
Mission  Stations  in  Africa,  while  the  Consoli- 
dated Convention  has  a  Mission  Station,  and  owns 
good  mission  property  in  Port-au-Prince,  Hayti." 
I  have  quoted  Dr.  Perry  at  length  that  the  read- 
er might  thoroughly  understand  these  early  be- 
ginnings. Ebenezer  Baptist  Church,  New  York, 
organized  in  1825,  and  the  Union  Baptist  Church 
in  Cincinnati,  constituted  in  1827,  follow  in  age 
the  above  mentioned  churches. 

FIRST  GENERAL  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES  AMONG 
NEGRO  BAPTISTS. 

In  1873,  the  Baptist  General  Association  of  the 
Western  States  and  Territories  came  into  exis- 
tence and  was  made  larger  in  1880.  Bishop  R.  De 
Baptist,  speaking  of  further  Baptist  growth  says 
that:  "In  1853  a  movement  was  begun  in  the 
Wood  River  Association,  Illinois,  to  reach  wider 
and  more  needy  parts  of  the  West,  which  resulted 
in  the  formation  of  the  Western  Colored  Baptist 
Convention,  which  in  1864,  was  still  further  widen- 
ed into  the  North  Western  and  Southern  Baptist 
Convention.  The  latter  consolidated  in  1867  with 
the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Convention, 
operating  in  the  Eastern  and  North  Eastern 
States,  the  new  body  taking  the  name  of  the  Con- 
solidated American  Baptist  Convention,  which 
continued  its  work  at  home  and  abroad  till  1879, 
as  a  united  body,  when  the  Western  Churches 
withdrew  and  formed  their  own  association. 


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Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      221 


The  officers  for  1887  were :  Rev.  W.  H.  Howard, 
M.D.,  Moderator;  Rev.  J.  W.  Cruchon  and  Rev.  J. 
H.  Oden,  assistant  moderators ;  Rev.  j.  L.  Corron, 
Recording  Secretary;  Rev.  T.  L.  Johnson,  Corre- 
sponding Secretary;  Rev.  R.  De  Baptist,  Treas- 
urer. The  income  for  the  year  was  $5,136.  Rev. 
T.  L.  Johnson,  London,  England,  and  Rev.  J.  W. 
Polk  at  home,  are  agents  for  collecting  funds  for 
the  African  Mission.  Great  interest  has  been 
awakened  in  the  Congo  Mission,  Africa,  and  the 
Association  appointed  in  1886,  Rev.  J.  W.  Rickets 
and  T.  E.  S.  Scholes,  M.  D.,  as  missionaries  to  the 
Congo  Valley.  Miss  L.  C.  Fleming  goes  also  as 
a  missionary  to  the  Congo  country,  whence  her 
father  was  brought  as  a  slave  to  this  land.  She 
is  a  graduate  of  Shaw  University,  and  will  be  ac- 
companied by  Miss  Faulkner  and  Miss  Hamilton. 
They  go  under  the  Women's  Societies  of  the  East 
and  West,  which  have  already  been  doing  a  work 
among  the  women  of  the  South  through  female 
teachers  and  missionaries. 

The  Now  England  Baptist  Missionary  Conven- 
tion was  formed  in  1875.  Its  field  of  operation 
is  in  the  Northern  and  Eastern  States.  The  min- 
utes of  1886  show  a  list  of  43  churches — open  in 
Delaware,  six  in  Pennsylvania,  nine  in  New  York, 
nine  in  New  Jersey,  four  in  Connecticut,  two  in 
Rhode  Island,  eleven  in  Massachusetts  and  one  in 
Virginia.  The  main  object  of  the  Convention  is 
to  send  out  missionaries  into  destitute  regions  and 
to  plant  and  build  up  churches  within  its  reach. 
Its  officers  for  1887  are:  President,  Rev.  R.  D. 
Wynn ;  Vice-President,  Rev.  B.  T.  Moore ;  Record- 
ing Secretary,  Rev.  T.  D.  Miller,  D.  D. ;  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  Rev.  W.  T.  Dixon ;  Treasurer, 


222     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

Rev.  R.  A.  Motley;  General  Agent,  Rev.  R.  L. 
Perry,  Ph.  D." 

In  1880  the  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  Con- 
vention was  formed  with  the  following  officers : 
Bishop  A.  S.  Jackson,  President;  Hon.  J.  J.  Spel- 
man,  Secretary;  Professor  J.  E.  Jones,  Corre- 
sponding Secretary;  Elder  R.  Wells,  Treasurer. 
The  Executive  Board  was  located  at  Richmond, 
Va.  The  Convention  divided  the  country  into  the 
following  districts  for  Foreign  Mission  work :  1st 
Virginia ;  2nd — the  Territory  covered  by  the  New 
England  Convention ;  3rd — South  Carolina,  Geor- 
gia, and  Alabama.  The  receipts  for  1886  were 
$4,473. 

Elder  J.  H.  Presley  and  wife,  Elder  W.  W. 
Colley  and  wife,  Bishop  J.  J.  Coles  and  Bishop 
H.  McKinney,  were  sent  as  missionaries  to  Afri- 
ca in  1883.  "Africa  In  Brief"  is  the  name  of  a 
little  book  of  Elder  J.  J.  Coles  in  which  he  tells  of 
the  labors  and  trials  of  these  missionaries  in 
building  up  the  Baptist  Vey  Mission.  In  1886 
the  Convention  sent  to  this  mission  Bishop  J.  J. 
Coles,  who  returned  to  America,  Mrs.  Cole,  Elder 
and  Mrs.  E.  B.  Topp  and  Elder  J.  J.  Diggs,  Mrs. 
Diggs  was  soon  to  follow.  The  Foreign  Mission- 
ary Force  now  (1887)  consists  of  four  ordained 
ministers,  four  native  helpers  and  two  women. 
There  are  two  churches  and  150  members.  They 
had  100  baptisms  within  two  and  a  half  years. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  NATIONAL  BAPTIST  CONVENTION. 

By  Bishop  W.  J.  Simmons,  D.  D. 
When  a  call  was  made  by  Elder  W.  J.  Simmons, 
D.  D.,  the  First  National  Baptist  Convention  of 
Colored  Baptists  came  together  August  25,  1886, 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      223 

— _ —  i 

at  the  First  Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Bishop 
J.  R.  Young,  pastor.  After  Brother  Simmons 
had  called  the  brethren  to  order,  a  temporary  or- 
ganization was  effected  by  calling  Elder  W.  J. 
Shelton  to  the  chair,  and  selecting  W.  H.  Stewart, 
Secretary.  The  permanent  election  resulted  in 
the  election  of  the  following  officers :  Bishop  W.  J. 
Simmons,  D.  D.,  President;  Elder  J.  R.  Young, 
1st  Vice-President ;  Elder  T.  L.  Johnson,  2nd  Vice 
President;  Elder  W.  H.  Steward,  and  Bishop  S.  T. 
Clanton,  Recording  Secretaries;  Bishop  R.  De 
Baptist,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Miss  L.  W. 
Smith,  Historian ;  and  Elder  D.  A.  Gaddie,  Treas- 
urer. After  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution, 
the  body  was  made  permanent,  and  "got  down  to 
work."  The  main  object  of  the  Convention  given 
out  by  these  pioneer  fathers  was  "to  unify  the  de- 
nomination in  MISSION  WORK." 

Seventeen  states  were  represented  by  600  mes- 
sengers and  visitors  at  this  initial  meeting. 
Among  them  were  graduates  in  Law,  Medicine, 
Theology;  Professors  of  Philosophy,  German, 
French,  Latin,  Greek,  Hebrew;  Ex-State  Repre- 
sentatives; Ex-Senators;  Two  Ex-Lieutenant 
Governors;  Editors  and  Teachers  not  a  few;  and 
a  Baptist  Missionary  from  England.  In  line  with 
the  "Spirit  of  Missions"  on  which  the  fathers 
founded  the  Convention,  Bishop  T.  L.  Johnson 
said  to  this  crowd  of  enthusiastic  Baptists  "Knox 
lifted  up  Germany,  and  it  is  for  us  to  lift  the 
heathen  of  the  land  of  our  fathers." 

The  second  session  of  the  Convention  was 
held  with  the  Third  Baptist  Church,  Mobile,  Ala., 
Dr.  A.  F.  Owens,  pastor — 1887. 


224    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

FIRST  ASSOCIATION. 

Professor  Monroe  N.  Work,  in  his  1913  "Negro 
Year  Book"  says  that  the  first  Negro  Baptist  As- 
sociation organized  in  the  United  States,  was  the 
Providence  Baptist  Association  of  Ohio,  in  1836. 
Two  years  later  the  Wood  River  Baptist  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  in  Illinois. 

BAPTIST  CHURCH    BEGINNINGS  IN  THE  SOUTH. 

The  earliest  church  beginnings  were  in  the 
South.  Just  which  is  the  first  Negro  Baptist 
church  in  America  is  a  disputed  question. 
The  First  African  Baptist  Church,  Savan- 
nah, Ga.,  is  claimed  by  some  historians  to  be  the 
oldest,  while  on  the  other  hand  Dr.  Walter  H. 
Brooks  says :  "The  First  Church  of  Negro  Bap- 
tists, the  very  first  and  oldest,  so  far  as  authentic 
and  trustworthy  writings  of  the  eighteenth  cen- 
tury establish,  was  constituted  at  Silver  Bluff, 
on  Mr.  Galphin's  estate,  a  year  or  two  before  the 
Revolutionary  War.  "This  church  continued  to 
worship  here  at  Silver  Bluff  situated  on  the  South 
Carolina  side  of  Savannah  River,  in  Aiken  Coun- 
ty just  12  miles  from  Augusta,  Ga.,  until  the  lat- 
ter part  of  1778  when  the  vicissitudes  of  war 
drove  the  little  flock  into  exile.  Its  exile  simply 
meant  to  multiply  it  in  other  places.  Elder  Da- 
vid George  was  pastor  of  the  Silver  Bluff  Church. 
This  pastor  and  people  finally  moved  to  Savannah 
seeking  safety  and  freedom  under  the  British  flag 
at  the  fall  of  Savannah.  It  seems  that  unavoid- 
able changes  brought  on  by  the  war  forced  the 
members  of  The  Silver  Bluff  Church  to  disband; 
but  in  due  time  God  raised  up  another  man — 


^^^■'' 

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jafip 

■  .  > 

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Elder  H.  B.  N.  Brown,  B.  D. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      225 


Elder  Jesse  Peter  through  whom  he  revived  His 
work  again  and  set  it  to  going. 

As  the  First  African  Baptist  Church  at  Augus- 
ta, Ga.,  the  Springfield  Baptist  Church — comes 
into  existence  we  lose  sight  of  the  Silver  Bluff 
Church,  with  Rev.  Jesse  Peter  as  pastor  when  the 
church  is  reported  in  a  flourishing  condition. 
The  curtain  rises  and  again  we  see  a  flock  of  de- 
voted Christians,  with  Jesse  Peters  as  pastor, 
but  they  are  12  miles  away  from  Silver  Bluff,  S. 
Carolina,  receiving  the  regulated  touches  of  the 
Rev.  Abram  Marshall  and  another  white  minis- 
ter, which  gave  the  body  standing  and  influence, 
as  the  First  African  Church  of  Augusta,  Ga. 

"If  we  presume,  the  Silver  Bluff  church  is  still 
with  us,  in  another  meeting  place,  and  under  a 
new  name,  the  oldest  Negro  Baptist  Church  in 
this  country  to-day  is  that  at  Augusta,  Ga.,  hav- 
ing existed  at  Silver  Bluff,  South  Carolina  from 
the  period  1774-1775  to  the  year  1793,  before  be- 
coming a  Georgia  Institution." 

THE  FIRST  AFRICAN  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  SAVANNAH, 

GA. 

It  seems  that  this  church  grew  out  of  one  oi; 
the  scattered  parts  of  the  Silver  Bluff  Church. 
There  is  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the 
founder  and  first  pastor — some  claiming  that  it 
was  set  up  by  Elder  Andrew  Bryan  in  1788, 
others  hold  that  this  could  not  be.  Dr.  Walter 
H.  Brooks  says:  "The  Negro  Baptist  Church  at 
Savannah,  Ga.,  existed  before  Andrew  Bryan 
became  a  Christian,"  and  that  Elder  Lislie  was 
the  first  pastor.  Mr.  Joseph  Cook,  of  Euhaw, 
South  Carolina,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  John  Rippon  of 


226     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

7 

London,  England  says :  "A  poor  Negro  common- 
ly called  Brother  George,  has  been  so  highly  fa- 
vored of  God  as  to  plant  the  First  Baptist  church 
in  Savannah,  and  another  in  Jamaica."  From 
the  time  of  Brother  Lislie's  departure  for  Jamaica 
in  1782  to  the  time  of  Bryan's  ordination,  1788 
the  little  flock  at  Savannah,  Ga.,  was  bitterly 
persecuted,  but  it  stood  the  storm  and  fire  of  op- 
position, and  outstripped  in  point  of  growth  and 
numbers  the  other  branches  of  Silver  Bluff  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  is  today  the  acknowledged  moth- 
er of  American  Negro  Baptists. 

In  1785  there  was  a  Negro  Baptist  Church  or- 
ganized at  Williamsburg,  Va.,  but  did  not 
flourish  to  any  large  extent.  There  were  other 
early  church  beginnings  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  New  Or- 
leans, La.,  and  Galveston,  Texas. 

FIRST    NEGRO   BAPTIST    SCHOOLS. 

In  1887  there  were,  in  the  South  at  least  26 
institutions  of  Higher  Education  for  Negroes. 
The  following  schools  had  Negro  Presidents,  and 
for  the  most  part  were  under  the  control  of  Ne- 
gro Baptists: 

State  University  of  Louisville,  Ky.,  founded 
by  the  late  Dr.  Wm.  J.  Simmons  and  others  in 
1873.  Dr.  Simmons  had  two  assistants  of  whom 
only  two  were  white.  The  University  had  three 
departments:  College,  Normal  and  Model  school 
with  171  students.  .Property  value  of  this 
school  in  1887  was  $18,000.  First  class  of  B. 
A.'s  graduated  in  1886. 

Natchez  College,  Natchez,  Miss.,  was  organ- 
ized in  1877.  President  P.  A.  Wardlaw  had 
three  instructors  and  165  students. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      227 

Selma  University,  Selma,  Ala.,  1878.  Dr.  H. 
Woodsmall,  President,  in  1887  had  seven  instruc- 
tors and  353  students — male  and  female  with  a 
property  valuation  of  $15,000. 

Brazoria  Institute,  Brazoria,  Texas  1867. 
Professor  H.  S.  Smothers  was  President.  As 
early  as  1887  he  had  trained  60  teachers  for 
work  among  colored  people. 

Seguin  Academy,  Seguin,  Tex.,  as  early  as 
1887  had  property  valued  at  $1,400. 

Hearne  Academy,  Hearne,  Tex.,  was  organ- 
ized in  1881;  by  1887  Professor  W.  F.  Smith, 
principal  had  three  teachers  and  32  students 
with  a  property  value  of  $4,000. 

Western  Union  Institute,  Asheville,  N.  C,  was 
founded  in  1884.  Elder  E.  H.  Lipscombe  was 
President  in  1887  with  four  teachers  and  200 
students.     Property  valued  at  $5,000. 

In  1887  there  were  several  other  Academies 
North  Carolina;  Winston  Academy,  Bishop  C. 
S.  Brown,  A.  B.,  Principal,  costing  $2,000; 
Garysburge  High  School,  R.  J.  Walden,  A.  M., 
Principal,  worth  $1,500;  High  School  at  War- 
for  years  pastor  of  the  first  white  Baptist  church 
renton,  Bishop  J.  A.  Whitted,  B.  A.,  Principal, 
valued  at  $5,000 ;  Cedar  Grove  Academy,  Elder  R. 
H.  Harris,  Principal  and  at  Goldsboro  a  lot  had 
been  purchased  for  a  school  site  on  which  build- 
dings  were  soon  to  be  erected. 

At  Coalsmouth,  W.  Va.,  a  school  property 
formerly  Shelton  College  *iad  beem  purchased 
worth  $25,000  and  a  school  of  high  grade  was 
to  be  soon  opened  with  Elder  C.  H.  Payne  as 
President. 

The  Colored  Baptists  of  Lynchburg,  W.  Va., 
perhaps,  earlier  than  1887  had  bought  a  lot  on 


228    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

which  to  erect  a  building  and  operate  a  school 
preparatory  to  Richmond  Seminary. 

At  Little  Rock,  Ark,  the  Arkansas  Baptist  Col- 
lege was  begun  in  1886  under  "a  scholarly  and 
competent  President  Professor  J.  H.  Garnett. 

The  first,  third  and  last  of  the  above  schools, 
and  those  that  follow  in  this  list,  in  1887,  were 
under  the  fostering  care  of  the  American  Bap- 
tist Home  Mission  Society.  Dr.  Morehouse 
said,  "The  Colored  Baptists  have  raised  apart 
from  the  Society's  efforts,  about  $50,000  for 
property  and  teachers,  chiefly  for  the  schools  at 
Selma,  Live  Oak,  and  Marshall,  Texas. 

By  1887  eight  thousand  students  had  enrolled 
in  Home  Mission  schools. 

Roger  Williams  University,  Nashville,  Tenn., 
the  'first  school  of  the  kind  in  order  of  time,  be- 
gan work  in  1864.  In  1887,  President  W.  H. 
Stifler,  D.  D.,  had  eight  assistants  and  126  young 
men  and  87  young  women.  The  property  value 
was  $85,000. 

Wayland  Seminary,  Washington,  D.  C,  opened 
its  doors  for  the  education  of  freed  men  in  1865. 
In  1887  President  C.  M.  P.  King,  D.  D.,  was  as- 
sisted by  six  teachers  with  an  enrollment  of  126 
students.  Value  of  property  at  that  time  $10,000. 
Our  race  owes  Dr.  King  a  debt  of  gratitude,  be- 
cause as  early  as  1887  he  had  spent  18  years 
training  Negro  preachers  and  teachers. 

In  1865,  Shaw  University  began  operations  in 
Raleigh,  North  Carolina.  By  1887,  President  H. 
M.  Tupper,  D.  D.,  had  a  faculty  of  20,  and  402 
students.  Within  22  years  after  beginning  this 
work,  Dr.  Tupper  had  built  up  a  great  Univer- 
sity consisting  of  Esty  Hall,  Leonard  Medical 
building,  Chapel  and  Dining  Hall  Medical  Dormi- 
tory and  residences  costing  in  all  about  $125,000. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      229 


The  Medical  faculty  was  composed  of  the  best 
white  talent  in  Raleigh,  while  the  Theological 
Department  was  in  charge  of  Dr.  T.  E.  Skinner, 
for  years  pastor  of  the  First  White  Baptist  in 
Raleigh,  who  said:  "The  work  is  itself  an  in- 
spiration. The  deportment  is  good,  and  far  be- 
yond any  I  have  seen.  The  desire  to  learn  is 
a  most  encouraging  feature  to  the  teacher,  the 
ability  to  learn  is  fully  equal  to  that  of  the  white 
people,  where  the  advantages  have  been  the 
same." 

Dr.  C.  H.  Cory  and  other  white  friends  of  ours 
founded  Richmond  Theological  Seminary,  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  in  1867.  Two  of  its  faculty  of  four 
were  Negroes.  The  student  body  numbered  64 
as  early  as  1887. 

Atlanta  Seminary,  (now  Morehouse  College)  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  came  into  existence  in  1867,  and  by 
1887  President  S.  Graves,  D.  D.,  had  five  teachers 
and  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  students. 

Leland  University,  New  Orleans,  La.,  was  or- 
ganized in  the  basement  of  the  Tulane  Baptist 
Church  for  the  education  of  freed  men  by  Dea- 
con Holbrook  Chamberlain,  in  1870,  and  by  1887 
Acting  President,  Bishop  M.  C.  Cole,  was 
assisted  by  eight  instructors  with  an  enroll- 
ment of  221  students.  Deacon  Chamberlain  en- 
dowed it  with  $95,000.  Valuation  of  its  prop- 
erty in  1887  was  $85,000. 

Columbia,  South  Carolina,  is  the  seat  of  Bene- 
dict Isstitute  (now  Benedict  College) ,  which  be- 
gan work  in  1870.  President  C.  E.  Becker  as 
early  as  1887  had  four  assistants  and  218  stu- 
dents. His  work  was  divided  into  four  depart- 
ments— Theological,  Academic,  Musical  and  In- 
dustrial.   . 


ELDER   L.   FORD, 
Benton,   La. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      231 

In  1887  Bishop  J.  L.  A.  Fish  was  President  of 
Florida  Institute  organized  in  1880,  at  Live  Dak, 
Fla.  Teachers  at  that  time  numbered  6;  stu- 
dents 96;  and  valuation  was  $7,000. 

Jackson  College,  Jackson,  Miss.,  was  founded 
in  1877  not  in  Jackson,  but  in  Natchez,  Miss.,  and 
was  afterwards  moved  to  Jackson.  President 
C.  Ayer  heroically  began  the  work  and  by  1887 
he  had  four  assistants  and  251  students.  Prop- 
erty value  at  that  time  $30,000. 

1887  was  the  year  in  which  Bishop  College  was 
established  at  Marshall,  Texas.  President  S.  W. 
Culver  with  five  assistants  and  156  students  was 
doing  a  splendid  work  in  1887.  One  of  his  teach- 
ers, Professor  David  Abner  was  a  College 
graduate  of  the  school.  This  school  was  named 
after  the  late  Dr.  Nathan  Bishop  whose  widow 
liberally  endowed  it. 

Spelman  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  was  organ- 
ized in  1887  for  females  only.  Before  the  year 
1887  Miss  H.  Giles,  and  Miss  S.  B.  Packard  had 
built  up  a  splendid  school  for  Negro  girls,  hav- 
ing a  faculty  of  20  with  an  enrollment  of  555 
scholars. 

Hartshorn  Memorial  College,  Richmond,  Va., 
founded  in  1884  was  another  female  school.  Pres- 
ident L.  B.  Tefft  in  1887  had  an  enrollment  of  96 
girls.       Property  value  was  $35,000. 

The  Creen  Freedman  School,  Tullahassee,  I.  T., 
was  established  in  1883,  Professor  C.  E.  Burdick, 
Superintendent.  In  1887  it  had  three  teachers, 
6  pupils  and  property  valued  at  $6,000. 

In  1887    there    were    in    the    Home    Mission 

schools  alone  23  Negro  teachers;  2,739  scholars; 

437  preparing  to  preach ;  963  preparing  to  teach ; 

35  desiring  to  go  to  Africa  as  missionaries  and 

38  studying  medicine. 


232     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

SOME  OF  THE  FIRST   NEGRO  BAPTIST   NEWSPAPERS 
AND  EDITORS. 

African  Expositor,  Bishop  N.  F.  Roberts,  Ral- 
eigh, N.  C;  American  Baptist,  Dr.  William  J. 
Simmons,  and  Brother  W.  H.  Stewart,  Louisville, 
Ky. ;  Arkansas  Baptist,  Dr.  E.  C.  Morris,  Little 
Rock,  Ark.;  Arkansas  Review,  Bishop  J.  T. 
White,  Helena,  Ark.;  Baptist  Advocate,  Bishop 
A.  S.  Jackson,  D.  D.,  and  Elder  S.  T.  Clanton,  D. 
D.,  New  Orleans,  La.;  Baptist  Beacon,  Bishop 
W.  R.  Boone,  B.  D.,  Springfield,  O. ;  Baptist  Mes- 
senger, Hon.  J.  J.  Spelman,  Jackson,  Miss.;  Bap- 
tist Preacher,  Elder  A.  R.  Griggs,  Dallas,  Texas ; 
Georgia  Baptist,  Bishop  W.  J.  White,  Augusta, 
Ga. ;  Baptist  Signal,  Bishop  G.  W.  Gales,  Green- 
ville, Miss. ;  Living  Way,  Elder  W.  A.  Brinkly, 
Memphis,  Tenn. ;  Memphis  Watchman,  Brother 
J.  T.  Turner,  Memphis,  Tenn. ;  National  Monitor, 
Bishop  R.  L.  Perry,  Ph.  D.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.; 
Western  Herald,  Elders  R.  De  Baptist,  A.  John- 
son, R.  M.  Duling  and  T.  L.  Smith,  Keokuk,  la. ; 
Richmond  Planet,  John  Mitchell,  Jr.,  Richmond, 
Va.,  West  Virginia  Enterprise,  Elder  C.  H.  Payne, 
Charleston,  West  Va.;  Weekly,  Bishops  R.  R. 
Wright  and  E.  K.  Love,  Augusta  Georgia; 
Baptist  Watchover,  Brother  W.  H.  Anderson, 
Evansville,  Indianapolis;  Mountain  Gleaner, 
Elder  E.  H.  Lipscombe,  Asheville,  N.  C.; 
C. ;  Baptist  Pilot,  Elders  L.  G.  Jordan  and  F.  G. 
Davis,  Waco,  Tex.;  Baptist  Tribune,  Dr.  E.  M. 
Brawley,  Columbia,  S.  C. ;  Baptist  Leader,  Bish- 
op A.  N.  McEwen,  Montgomery,  Ala.;'  Herald, 
Brother  J.  C.  Duke,  Montgomery,  Ala.;  African 
Missions,  Professor  J.  E.  Jones,  Richmond,  Va.; 
The  Caret,  Elder  C.  D.  Cooley,  Newport  News, 
Va.;  Marion  Headlight,  Brother  J.  L.  Fleming, 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      233 

Marion,  Ark.;  Pioneer  Press,  Brother  J.  R.  Clif- 
ford, Martinsburge,  West  Va. ;  Golden  Epoch, 
Brother  C.  H.  W.  Stewart,  Helena,  Ark.;  Bap- 
tist Banner,  Brother  J.  W.  Browdwe,  Columbus, 
Kans. ;  Texas  Pioneer,  Professor  S.  M.  Smothers, 
Brazoria,  Tex.;  Seven  Mansions,  N.  0.  Bryant, 
Calvert,  Tex.;  Busy  Bee,  Brother  E.  J.  Jones, 
Greenville,  Miss.;  Baptist  Review  (magazine), 
Bishop  E.  R.  Carter,  Atlanta,  Ga. ;  Missouri  Bap- 
tist Standard,  Brother  G.  H.  McDaniel,  Palmyra, 
Mo.;  Pulpit  and  Desk  (quarterly),  Bishop  Bird 
Wilkins,  B.  D.,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

These  are  only  some  of  the  many  papers — re- 
ligious and  secular  published  by  Baptist  Editors 
as  early  as  1887.  Drs.  Brawley  and  Perry  said 
at  that  time  that  there  were  as  many  more,  whose 
names  could  not  be  obtained. 

OTHER  EARLY  ORGANIZATIONS. 
NEW  YORK  STATE. 

Dr.  Richard  B.  Cook  says  that  the  Mount  Olivet 
Baptist  Church,  West  53d  Street,  New  York 
City,  was  organized  in  1878  with  21  members, 
and  with  five  dollars  in  the  treasury.  At  this 
time  they  worshipped  in  a  hall  and  were  under 
the  care  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  Chruch 
(white).  Mount  Olivet  flourished  under  the  pas- 
torate of  Bishop  D.  W.  Wisher  of  Norfolk,  Va. 
The  church  was  organized  and  the  pastor  or- 
dained on  the  same  day,  May  30th,  1878.  Elder 
Armitage  preaching  the  sermon. 

It  was  not  long  before  this  hall  became  too 
small  for  the  great  crowds  that  came  to  hear  the 
Gospel.  Over  500  were  added  to  the  church  by 
baptism,  250  by  letter  and  300  by  experience.  As 
early  as  1886  this  church  had  an  active  member- 


234     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


ship  of  700,  besides,  $40,000  had  been  raised  for 
church  expenses;  $6,000  for  missions  at  home 
and  abroad,  and  $16,000  for  repairs  and  interest. 

The  Southern  New  York  Association,  April, 
3  884,  assisted  this  membership  in  purchasing 
the  splendid  granite  church  edifice  it  now  (1887) 
occupies.  This  was  the  church  of  Bishop 
Cheever,  valued  at  $125,000,  with  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  2,000.  Its  organ  cost  $5,000.  The 
dedication  services  occurred  June  15th,  1884,  Dr. 
Harvey  Johnson  preaching  in  the  forenoon,  Dr. 
Armitage  in  the  afternoon  and  Bishop  T.  D.  Mil- 
ler at  night.  The  dedication  prayer  was  prayed 
by  Bishop  H.  Williams,  Jr.  On  the  following 
Thursday  the  venerable  Elder  Cheever  delivered 
an  address  of  much  interest,  and  a  letter  from 
the  poet  J.  G.  Whittier  was  read. 

God  gave  this  pioneer  church  many  friends  of 
means,  among  them  were  Bishop  H.  F.  Barnes, 
S.  S.  Constant,  and  B.  F.  Judson  who  gave  from 
$500  to  $8,000.  John  D.  Rockefeller,  the  rich- 
est of  men,  gave  one-fourth  of  the  entire  cost  of 
the  property. 


FIRST    MARYLAND    BAPTIST    CHURCHES. 

A  Negro  Baptist  preacher  whose  name  I  can- 
not now  obtain  gathered  a  few  Baptists  in  a 
private  house  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  in  1818,  and  in 
1836  the  first  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in 
the  State  of  Maryland.  Moses  Clayton,  a  Vir- 
ginia slave,  came  to  Baltimore  in  1834.  He  could 
read,  write,  and  speak  with  fluency.  He  worked 
at  the  carpenter's  trade  during  the  week  and 
preached  the  Word  with  power  and  demonstra- 
M--  ---  cs-.^oxtc;  "He  began  a  school  with  three 
children,  two  of  them  his  own.  Often  he  preached 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      235 

to  an  audience  comprising  his  wife  and  two  or 
three  others,  and  spoke  with  much  earnestness 
as  if  addressing  a  thousand."  A  church  was 
formed  with  8  or  10,  and  Bishop  Moses  Clayton 
was  ordained  pastor  of  Maryland's  first  church. 

In  1865  Bishop  L.  Hicks  being  pastor,  suffi- 
cient money  was  collected  for  a  house  of  worship 
into  which  they  moved  from  the  old  school  house. 
In  1880  a  larger  house  was  built  in  a  more  suit- 
able location,  costing  $16,000.  The  present  pas- 
tor (1887)  is  Bishop  J.  C.  Allen. 

In  1852,  the  Union  Baptist  Church,  Baltimore, 
Md.,  was  organized  with  57  members.  Elder  J. 
Cary  was  the  first  pastor.  By  1887  the  member- 
ship had  grown  from  57  in  1852  to  2,000.  Bishop 
Harvey  Johnson,  who  was  pastor  of  this  church 
prior  to  1887,  and  is  now  pastor  (1914),  stands 
high  in  his  community.  He  is  a  graduate  of 
Wayland  Seminary.  He  took  charge  of  his  church 
in  1872  with  only  278  members.  In  1876  they 
entered  their  new  house  of  worship,  which  cost 
$20,000.  All  of  this  thay  paid  in  four  years,  ex- 
cepting $500.  The  pastor  of  this  church  wlas  the. 
prime  mover  in  bringing  Maryland  Baptists  to- 
gether in  a  ^tate  Convention.  There  were  in  the-, 
state  as  early,  or  earlier  than  1887,  20  churches,, 
6,000  memoers,  15  ministers  and  $150,000  worth 
of  church  property. 

FIRST  BAPTIST  ORGANIZATIONS  IN  THE  DISTRICT  OF 
COLUMBIA. 

Bishop  Walter  H.  Brooks  says  that:  "The 
Baptists  of  Washington,  D.  €.,  organized  their 
first  church  and  erected  their  first  meeting 
house  at  the  corner  of  19th  and  I  Streets, 
in   1802.     There    were    six    constituent    mem- 


236    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

bers,  all  white.  In  process  of  time  many 
colored  persons  were  received  as  members.  The 
house  of  worship  had  in  1833,  become  too  small 
for  the  congregation  and  the  old  house  was  aban- 
doned for  a  new  one  on  10th  Street.  The 
colored  people  were  encouraged  to  continue  in 
the  old  building.  Finally  the  property  was  sold 
to  the  colored  Baptists  of  the  District.  They  had 
then,  1833,  no  church  organization.  They  were 
members  of  the  church  on  10th  street  although 
they  had  their  separate  place  of  worship,  and  a 
Sunday-school  for  their  children. 

A  number  of  colored  Baptists  who  had  come 
to  Washington  formed  themselves  into  a  Baptist 
Church  in  1839.  The  church  numbered  four,  of 
whom  one,  Emily  Cook,  now  (1887)  lives.  As 
soon  as  the  church  was  formed  the  colored  mem- 
bers of  the  church  on  10th  Street,  united  with 
the  new  body  and  the  property  on  19th  Street 
passed  into  their  hands.  In  1846  they  numbered 
202,  from  1865  to  1873  they  had  increased  from 
370  to  1191,  and  in  1876  the  membership  was 
1200,  but  a  revision  of  the  roll  reduced  it  to 
1086,  the  present  number.  The  first  pastor  was 
Bishop  S.  White,  and  the  present  one  is  Dr.  Wal- 
ter H.  Brooks. 

From  this  church  has  gone  out:  The  Second, 
Fourth,  Fifth,  Salem  and  Berean  churches. 
Since  1860  other  Baptist  churches  have  sprung 
up  that  are  not  off-shoots  of  the  First  Church. 
There  are  today  in  the  District  between  20  and 
30  Baptist  Churches,  many  of  which  have  a  mem- 
bership of  between  1,000  and  1,800.  They  own 
some  valuable  church  .property,  such  as  that  of 
the  Shiloh,  First,  Liberty,  Fourth,  Fifth,  Berean, 
and  others  too  numerous  to  name,  which  shows 


238     History  of  Louisiana  "Negro  Baptists. 

to  what  good  use  thousands  of  the  money  of  this 
people  have  been  put." 

Revs.  Brooks,  Walker,  Lee,  Johnson,  Howard, 
of  the  Zion  Church,  preach  to  large  congregations. 

VIRGINIA  BAPTIST'S  BEGINNINGS. 

I  am  informed  that  the  First  White  Baptist 
Church  of  Richmond,  Va.,  was  organized  with 
14  members,  in  1780,  when  Richmond  was  a  vil- 
lage of  1800  inhabitants,  one  half  of  whom  were 
Negroes.  "Since  1863  the  Colored  Baptists  have 
constituted  themselves  separately,  and  have  their 
own  associations,"  says  one  writer.  The  First 
African  Baptist  Church  of  Richmond  existed  be- 
fore the  War. 

Bishop  R.  Ryland,  D.  D.,  President  of  Rich- 
mond College,  was  the  pastor  of  this  church  for 
25  years,  and  during  his  pastorate  there  bap- 
tised more  than  3,800  persons.  This  house  of 
worship  was  built  between  the  years  1790  and 
1800,  and  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  Colored 
Baptists,  when  the  white  Baptists  erected  for 
themselves  a  new  church  in  1841.  This  old 
Negro  church  house  was  historic,  and  was  pub- 
lished in  the  list  of  places  to  be  visited  by  the 
stranger  in  the  city,  who  took  Sunday  for  the 
purpose,  to  hear  the  excellent  music.  Within  its 
walls  some  of  the  most  important  meetings  have 
been  held,  and  some  of  the  most  distinguished  men 
have  spoken.  ! 

The  Virginia  Convention  of  1829-30  met  here. 
Madison  and  Marshall  were  there.  It  was  the  last 
time  these  distinguished  men  held  a  seat  in  a 
public  assembly. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      239 

In  April,  1861,  'the  largest  meeting  ever  held 
in  that  church  took  place  in  behalf  of  the  Union, 
the  Constitution,  and  the  enforcement  of  the 
laws." 

In  1864,  a  famous  meeting  took  place  in  this 
Negro  Church  building,  the  object  of  which  was 
to  urge  the  people  to  renewed  resistance  to  the 
Federal  Army  then  thundering  at  the  gates  of 
Richmond.  Addresses  were  made  by  Jefferson 
Davis,  J.  P.  Benjamin  and  others. 

Here  also  was  held,  after  the  surrender,  a 
meeting  of  the  Freedmen,  "the  first  ever  held  in 
the  South/' 

In  those  days  such  men  as  Horace  Greely,  Ger- 
ritt  Davis,  Henry  Wilson,  and  General  Howard 
addressed  the  multitudes  in  this  old  church 
house.  The  African  Church  was  the  place  both 
before  and  after  the  war  for  all  great  meetings. 
This  famous  old  Negro  house  of  worship  was 
torn  down  in  1876,  to  make  way  for  the  present 
elegant  structure  which  costs  $40,000,  seats 
2,500  people,  and  has  an  organ  costing  $2,500. 
Bishop  J.  H.  Holmes,  the  present  (1887)  pastor, 
took  charge  in  1867  when  the  membership  was 
three  thousand.  Since  then  5,000  have  been 
added,  and  eleven  other  churches  have  been  or- 
ganized of  material  from  this  church.  In  1887, 
the  Sunday-school  numbered  600  pupils;  the 
church  collections  amounting  to  $4,000  annually. 

The  pastor  of  this  church,  though  born  a  slave, 
educated  himself  and  became  a  power  for  good 
in  his  day;  baptizing  June,  1878,  at  one  time, 
268  souls;  on  another  day  598,  and  at  another 
time  in  1887,  two  hundred  believers.  The  Sec- 
ond Baptist  Church  has  a  membership  of  3,000. 

Another  of  the  early  organizations  in  Virginia 


240    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

is  the  church  which  was  organized  at  Portsmouth 
in  1798. 

The  First  Church,  Manchester,  Va^,  held  its 
meetings  apart  from  the  whites  the  first  time  in 
1821,  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Nancy  Rasfield.  At 
this  time  they  were  few  in  number,  and  were  a 
branch  of  the  Spring  Creek  Church.  Their  num- 
bers increased  under  their  white  pastors  until 
when  they  purchased  ground  and  erected  a  frame 
meeting  house.  These  white  pastors,  however, 
were  assisted    by    colored    preachers.  This 

church  built  its  first  brick  house  of  worship  in 
1854,  and  in  1865,  Bishop  R.  Wells,  their  first 
colored  pastor  took  charge.  He  was  followed  in 
1872  by  Elder  A.  Binga.  In  1869  they  entered 
their  present  (1887)  house  of  worship,  which 
seats  1,400  people,  and  costs  $18,000.  Present 
membership  is  1,512,  after  furnishing  material 
for  three  churches  within  15  years. 

As  early  as  1887  the  Fourth  Church,  Bishop 
E.  Paine,  pastor,  numbers  1,400;  Ebenezer,  Elder 
R.  Wells,  pastor,  1,600;  and  the  Second  Baptist 
Church,  Bishop  W.  Troy,  pastor,  3,000.  Elder 
John  Jasper  at  this  time  was  preaching  to  large 
congregations,  and  Bishop  H.  Williams  was  pre- 
paring a  history  of  Negro  Virginia  Baptists. 

The  officers  of  the  Virginia  Baptist  State  Con- 
vention in  1887  were:  Elder  J.  M.  Armistead, 
President;  Bishops  A.  Gordon,  A.  Truatt,  A.  H. 
Lewis,  and  H.  W.  Dickerson,  Vice-Presidents; 
Bishop  H.  H.  Mitchell,  Corresponding  Secretary; 
Elder  A.  Binga,  Jr.,  Recording  Secretary;  and 
J.  E.  Farrar,  Treasurer. 

By  1887,  this  convention  had  employed  six  mis- 
sionaries, raised  $3,000  for  missions,  and  paid 
to  missionaries  in  Africa  $2,250.     The  Secretary 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      241 


and  Agent  of  their  Foreign  Mission  Board  was 
Bishop  J.  A.  Taylor.  Lynchburg  Baptists  had 
bought  a  $1,800  lot  overlooking  the  city  on  which 
to  establish  a  denominational  school  of  high 
grade.  West  Virginia  Baptists,  in  1887,  num- 
bered 1800  with  25  churches,  3  associations  and 
one  State  Convention,  and  the  Executive  Board 
had  purchased  school  property  for  the  erection 
of  an  Academic,  Normal  and  Industrial  School. 
The  originator  of  the  school  movement  was 
Bishop  C.  H.  Payne  who  was  to  be  the  President 
of  the  Institution. 

TENNESSEE  BAPTISTS  BEGINNINGS. 

It  appears  that  they  began  their  work  with  the 
organization  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Nash- 
ville, Tenn.  By  1887  this  church  had  a  member- 
ship of  2,500.  Their  house  of  worship  cost 
$26,000  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1300.  At  this 
early  date  Tennessee  Baptists  also  had  a  large 
house  of  worship  at  Memphis,  for  which  they 
paid  $100,000  cash.  They  had  10  associations  in 
the  state  with  more  than  35,000  members. 

Officers  of  their  State  Convention,  at  the  14th 
Anniversary  held  at  Winchester  in  1886  were: 
Bishop  R.  V.  Vandervell,  D.  D.,  President ;  Elders 
C.  C.  Russell,  J.  Bransford  and  I.  Trimble,  Vice- 
Presidents;  Bishop  B.  Frierson,  Recording  Sec- 
retary; Elder  B.  A.  Franklin,  Corresponding 
Secretary;  and  Elder  A.  Buchanan,  Treasurer. 

The  Annual  SermJon  at  this  session  was 
preached  by  Bishop  S.  M.  Dickinson,  and  inspir- 
ing addresses  were  made  by  Bishops  H.  Wood- 
small  and  D.  A.  Franklin. 


242    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 


NORTH    CAROLINA    NEGRO   BAPTISTS   EARLY    WORK. 

In  1887  Bishop  N.  F.  Roberts  said:  /The 
State  Convention  of  North  Carolina  was  organ- 
ized in  1886.  Then  the  Colored  Baptists  had  but 
few  churches  in  the  state,  and  most  of  these  had 
neither  house  of  worship  nor  pastor.  There  are 
now  500  ministers;  850  churches;  110,000  mem- 
bers; 850  Sunday-schools;  3500  (teachers,  and 
75,000  scholars.  There  are  several  academies 
of  high  grade  preparing  students  for  Shaw  Uni- 
versity. During  the  last  20  years  God  has  great- 
ly prospered  us.  Our  preachers  have  planted 
churches  in  many  destitute  fields,  and  the  peo- 
ple are  hearing  the  word  with  gladness.  Over 
8,000  were  baptised  last  year.  Many  brethren 
of  other  denominations  have  learned  the  truth 
as  we  hold  it  and  have  united  with  us.  Within 
the  past  year  many  of  the  churches  have  pro- 
vided themselves  with  comfortable  houses  of 
worship." 

FIRST  WORK  AMONG  KENTUCKY  BAPTISTS. 

Earlier  than  1887,  Brother  W.  H.  Steward  said 
that  the  Fifth  Church,  Louisville,  Ky.,  formed  in 
1839,  had  the  finest  building  and  largest  con- 
gregation in  the  state.  Bishop  J.  H.  Frank  was 
pastor  in  1887,  and  holds  forth  now  (1914).  His 
flock  numbered  1500  about  30  years  ago.  The 
Fifth  Church  was  a  model  church,  having  a 
splendid  choir.  Kentucky  Baptists  led  other  de- 
nominations in  the  state  in  point  of  numbers  and 
actual  Christian  work. 

Dr.  Everets  said:  "The  Colored  Baptists  are 
sharing    th^    progressive    spirit    of    the    white 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      243 

churches,  and  have  increased  to  fifteen  churches, 
with  almost  five  thousand  members  in  Louisville. 
Bishop  C.  C.  Stum  said  that  Elder  G.  W.  Dupee 
was  the  Nestor  of  Kentucky  Baptists.  This  Pi- 
oneer Baptist  was  the  prime  mover  in  most  of 
the  first  Kentucky  organizations.  These  early 
organizers  wrought  well  in  the  matter  of  setting 
up  churches,  associations  and  conventions. 

They  held  their  17th  session  of  the  General 
Association  of  Kentucky  at  Danville,  in  1885. 
This  shows  that  the  fathers  started  this  work  as 
early  as  1868.  Officers  of  this  Association  in 
1887  were :  Bishop  P.  Johnson,  Moderator ;  Elders 
D.  A.  Gaddie,  P.  H.  Kennedy,  Assistant  Modera- 
tors; Brother  W.  H.  Steward,  Recording  Secre- 
tary; Brother  Q.  B.  Jones,  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary; and  Bishop  P.  Alexander,  Treasurer. 
Brother  W.  H.  Steward  was  Chairman  of  Trustee 
Board.  At  this  session  287  churches  and  46,902 
members  were  reported. 

Officers  of  the  State  Women's  Educational 
Convention:  Mrs.  A.  V.  Nelson,  President;  Mrs. 
M.  B.  Wallace,  Secretary,  and  Miss  L.  C.  Critten- 
den, Chairman  Board  of  Managers. 

In  1887,  Dr.  William  J.  Simmons  was  writing 
a  History  of  Kentucky  Negro  Baptists,  setting 
forth  their  wonderful  achievements  and  marvel- 
ous growth. 

Officers  of  North  Carolina  State  Convention  in 
1887  were :  Professor  Roberts,  President ;  Bishop 
A.  M.  Conway,  Vice-President;  Elder  W.  T.  H. 
Woodward,  Recording  Secretary;  Bishop  J.  O. 
Crosby,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Bishop  A.  B. 
Williams,  Treasurer;  and  Elder  G.  W.  Holland, 
Auditor. 


244     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

SOUTH  CAROLINA  BAPTIST  WORK  BEFORE  1887. 

We  are  informed  that  the  Baptist  Educational 
Missionary  and  Sunday  School  Convention  of 
South  Carolina  was  doing  a  noble  work  before 
1887,  and  its  Secretary,  Bishop  J.  J.  Durham,  M. 
D.,  had  asked  for  as  much  as  $5,000  in  one  year 
for  missions. 

President  I.  P.  Brockenton  said:  "The  Con- 
vention is  one  of  the  great  levers  in  lifting  our 
people;  it  has  done  a  great  deal  toward  lifting 
our  ministry  to  its  present  height.  One  of  its 
grand  objects  is  to  give  to  our  churches  an  edu- 
cated ministry." 

Officers  of  this  Convention  in  1887  were: 
Brother  I.  P.  Brockenton,  President;  Bishop  J. 
C.  Butler,  Vice-President;  Elder  S.  B.  Stratfoot, 
Treasurer;  Bishop  J.  J.  Durham,  M.  D.,  Secre- 
tary ;  and  E.  M.  Brawley,  D.  D.,  Historian.  There 
were  100,000  Negro  Baptists  in  the  state  of  South 
Carolina  in  1887. 

GEORGIA  BAPTIST  BEGINNINGS. 

Elsewhere  in  this  chapter  you  will  find  full 
reference  to  the  first  Christian  work  done  by 
Georgia  Baptists.  However,  it  may  be  of  inter- 
est to  add  that  the  officers  of  their  State  Conven- 
tion in  1887  were:  Elder  C.  J.  Bryan,  President; 
Bishop  U.  L.  Houston,  Vice-President ;  Brother  J. 
H.  Brown,  Secretary;  Bishop  T.  J.  Hornsby,  As- 
sistant Secretary;  Elder  C.  H.  Lyons,  Correspond- 
ing Secretary,  and  Bishop  J.  T.  Tolbert,  Treas- 
urer. 

This  Convention  was  organized  by  the  Georgia 
Pioneers  in  1870.     At  their  16th  Anniversary  in 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      245 


1886  sermons  were  preached  by  Bishops  C.  T. 
James,  F.  M.  Simmons,  and  C.  C.  Terry.  There 
were  in  the  state  at  that  time  42  Associations; 
1301  churches,  with  134,489  members,  which  was 
claimed  to  be  the  largest  Negro  membership  in 
any  state.  Two  missionaries  were  employed  by 
the  Convention,  and  more  than  $1,000  were  ex- 
pended. The  First  Church,  Savannah,  Ga., 
claimed  4,000  members,  and  the  First  Church, 
Augusta,  Ga.,  claimed  a  membership  of  5,000. 
The  Second  Church  was  organized  in  1803. 

EARLY  WORK  OF  FLORIDA  BAPTISTS. 

The  officers  of  the  General  Convention  in  1887 
were:  Bishop  J.  N.  Stokes,  President;  Bishop  T. 
Lancaster,  Vice-President;  Elder  G.  P.  McKin- 
ney,  Recording  Secretary;  Bishop  J.  B.  Hankers, 
Corresponding  Secretary;  and  P.  S.  Sommers, 
Treasurer.  The  1887  Session  of  the  Convention 
was  called  to  order  by  Elder  J.  A.  Potter,  and 
Bishops  JY-Felder,  and  J.  G.  Ross  preached  the 
principal  sermons  at  this  session.  Brother  Ross 
was  at  that  time  pastor  of  the  Bethel  Baptist 
Church,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  which  had  built  a 
$2,000  parsonage,  and  sent  Miss  L.  C.  Fleming 
to  Africa.  As  early  as  1887  there  were  27,000 
Negro  Baptists  in  the  state,  and  more  than  $1300 
was  given  in  1885  for  the  Florida  Institute. 

Officers  of  the  Sunday  School  Convention  were : 
Brother  A.  Dallas,  President;  Brother  D.  H. 
Brown,  Recording  Secretary;  Brother  J.  W. 
Benton,  Corresponding  Secretary ;  and  Bishop  M. 
Wiggins,  Treasurer. 


246     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

ALABAMA  BAPTISTS  1868-87. 

Their  work  took  organized  form  in  a  Conven- 
tional way  in  1868  with  Bishop  Nathan  Ashby  as 
their  first  President.  Then  followed  Elder  J. 
Washington  Stephens,  in  1870;  Bishop  Prince 
Merrill,  1871-72;  Elder  James  Foster,  1873-75; 
Bishop  Mansfield  Tyler,  1876-86 ;  and  Elder  W.  R. 
Pettiford,  was  elected  President  in  1887.  There 
were  at  this  time  in  the  state  50  associations,  700 
ministers,  800  churches,  with  85,000  members. 
Valuation  of  their  church  property  was  $250,000. 

EARLY      WORK    AMONG     MISSISSIPPI     NEGRO     BAP- 
TISTS. 

Concerning  pioneer  work  among  these  breth- 
ren, Hon.  J.  J.  Spelman  says,  as  early  as  or  be- 
fore 1886,  that:  "Mississippi  had  a  State  Con- 
vention, besides  a  General  Association,  having 
over  38,766  communicants,  and  a  paper  edited, 
and  its  whole  mechanical  department  managed  by 
colored  men.  They  have  also  a  College  at  Natch- 
ez worth  $20,000  without  a  dollar  of  debt,  with  a 
President  and  faculty,  all  colored,  and  165  stu- 
dents." 

The  officers  of  the  General  Association  were : 
Bishop  H.  W.  Bowen,  Moderator;  Elder  A.  Reed, 
Vice-Moderator;  Bishop  J.  H.  Nichols,  Corre- 
sponding Secretary;  Bishop  H.  M.  Thompson, 
Recording  Secretary;  Hon.  J.  J.  Spelman,  Statis- 
tical Secretary;  and  Elder  A.  Durham,  Treasurer. 

State  Sunday  School  Convention  officers  were: 
Hon.  J.  J.  Spelman,  President;  Bishops  H.  Wat- 
son, and  H.  M.  Thompson,  Vice-Presidents :  Elder 
T.  L.  Jordan,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Bishop 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      247 

J.  H.  Nichols,  Recording  Secretary;  and  Brother 
L.  R.  Shepherd,  Treasurer. 

During  the  1886  session  of  the  Association, 
$400  were  raised  for  African  Missions,  and  fare- 
well addresses  were  delivered  by  two  of  its  mem- 
bers, namely,  Bishop  E.  B.  Topp  and  his  wife. 
They  went  under  appointment  as  missionaries 
to  the  Veys.  The  Introductory  Sermon  of  this 
session  was  preached  by  Bishop  G.  W.  Cohran; 
Doctrinal  Sermon  by  Elder  J.  F.  Boulden;  Edu- 
cational Sermon  by  Bishop  T.  L.  Jordan,  and  the 
Temperance  Sermon  by  Elder  R.  Ramsey.  In 
1887  Hon.  J.  J.  Spelman  was  at  work  writing  a 
History  of  Mississippi  Negro  Baptists. 


TEXAS  NEGRO  BAPTISTS  IN  AND  BEFORE 
1887. 

Elder  A.  R.  Griggs  is  quoted  as  saying  in  1887 
that:  "The  Colored  Baptists  of  Texas  began  as 
an  independent  people,  with  the  ordination  of 
Bishop  Reinhardt  in  1866  by  the  white  Baptists. 
In  the  same  year  they  ordained  Elder  S.  Cobb  of 
Waco  and  organized  the  first  colored  Baptist 
church.  In  1867,  Bishop  I.  S.  Campbell  came  to 
Texas  as  Missionary  of  the  Consolidated  Conven- 
tion, and  organized  the  first  church  of  Galveston 
in  1867,  and  within  a  few  months  some  50  or  60 
churches  were  formed  by  him,  and  the  Lincoln 
Association  was  organized  in  1867  at  Houston. 
In  1880  this  Association  numbered  150  churches 
and  12,000  members.  There  are  now  25  Asso- 
ciations, 795  churches,  664  Ministers,  and  69,950 
members. 

The  State  Convention  was  organized  in  1872, 
and  the  Sunday  School  Convention  in  1880.     The 


248     History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

first  denominational  school  for  colored  people 
originated  in  Dallas,  in  1867,  in  the  North  West- 
ern Association,  through  the  efforts  of  Bishop  A. 
R.  Griggs.  It  is  still  in  operation  at  Brazoria. 
Bishop  College  and  Hearne  Academy  are  both 
Baptist  Institutions.  The  latter  was  established 
by  the  colored  State  Convention,  and  to  the  form- 
er the  colored  Baptists  contributed  the  lot,  cost- 
ing $3,500.  The  late  T.  Hill  of  Austin,  a  colored 
man,  bequeathed  $6,000  to  Hearne  Academy. 

Seguin  Academy  was  founded  by  the  Guada- 
lupe Association  through  the  efforts  of  Elder  W. 
B.  Ball. 

The  first  colored  newspaper  was  started  by 
Elder  A.  R.  Griggs  in  1867,  and  is  known  as  the 
Baptist  Pilot  at  Waco.  To  Elder  I.  S.  Camp- 
bell, more  than  any  other  man,  is  due  the  credit 
for  the  formation  of  the  present  organizations  in 
the  state.  In  1887  he  celebrated  his  fiftieth  year 
in  the  ministry  and  his  twentieth  year  as  pastor 
at  Waco,  where  he  has  nearly  completed  the  best 
brick  church  in  the  state.  There  are  in  the  state 
19  Women's  Missionary  Societies,  and  there  has 
been  collected  for  the  year  $13,474.  The  value 
of  church  property  is  $250,000. 

Officers  of  the  Texas  State  Convention  were: 
Bishop  W.  Massey,  President;  Elder  F.  Hooks, 
Vice-President;  Brother  W.  F.  Smith,  Recording 
Secretary;  Professor  David  Abner,  Jr.,  Corre- 
sponding Secretary;  Brother  A.  Terrell,  Treas- 
urer; and  Bishop  A.  R.  Griggs,  Superintendent 
of  Missions. 

Sunday  School  Convention  officers:  Bishop  J. 
Toliver,  President;  Hon.  J.  H.  Stewart,  Secre- 
tary; Brother  M.  Dudley,  Treasurer;  and  Elder 
A.  R.  Griggs,  State  Evangelist. 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      249 

EARLY  WORK   OF  ARKANSAS   BAPTISTS. 

Before  1887  they  had  developed  their  work 
until  19  Associations  had  been  organized,  about 
300  ministers  ordained,  more  than  500  churches 
instituted  with  a  membership  of  30,000  mem- 
bers. 

After  their  well-done  work  "the  fathers" 
placed  their  mantles  on  the  shoulders  of  younger 
men  and  went  to  their  reward.  The  Presidential 
toga  fell  upon  the  shoulders  of  Bishop  E.  C.  Mor- 
ris, who  has  worn  it  successfully  not  only  among 
Arkansas  Baptists  but  among  the  Baptists  of 
America.  By  1887,  their  church  and  education- 
al work  was  booming. 

FIRST  ORGANIZATION    AMONG    ILLINOIS    BAPTISTS 

According  to  Bishop  R.  DeBaptist  was  among 
the. colored  farmers  near  Alton.  They  were  free 
people,  come  of  them  owning  farms.  They 
organized  the  Salem  Baptist  Church  near  Alton 
which  is  the  oldest  Negro  Baptist  Church  in  the-, 
state.  Three  or  four  other  churches  were  organ- 
ized soon  afterwards.  Elder  J.  Livingston,  Pi- 
oneer of  Illinois  Pioneers,  with  others  organized 
the  Wood  River  Association  in  1838,  which  is 
probably  the  oldest  Negro  Baptist  Association 
not  only  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  but  in  the  United 
States.  By  1887,  two  Associations  were  the 
justly  proud  boast  of  Illinois  Baptists — the  Wood 
River  with  48  churches;  3500  members  and  40' 
ministers ;  and  the  Mount  Olive  with  45  church- 
es; 2,000  members  and  29  preachers.  Elder  De 
Baptist  was  pastor  for  nearly  19  years  of  one  of 
the  strongest  churches  in  the  Wood  River  Asso- 


250    History  of  Louisiana  Negro  Baptists. 

ciation,  and  instrumental  in  collecting  and  or- 
ganizing- six  churches. 

The  Western  Baptist  Convention  originated 
from  a  movement  in  the  Wood  River  Association 
in  1853.  In  this  organization  the  Negro  Baptists 
of  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  took  part. 

The  Olivet  Church,  Chicago,  had  Bishop  R.  De- 
Baptist  as  pastor  from  1863  to  1882,  during 
which  time  the  membership  increased  from  100 
to  600.  They  had  a  lot  in  1887  which  alone  cost 
$13,000.  The  Bethesda  Church  went  out  of  Olivet 
in  1883  with  43  members  while  Bishop  J.  A.  D. 
Podd  was  pastor. 

FIRST  WORK  OF  MISSOURI  BAPTIST. 

Elder  R.  De  Baptist  said:  "Probably  the  old- 
est Baptist  Church  in  the  West  or  Southwest  is 
the  First  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  organized  about 
1830.  For  years  its  first  pastor  was  Rev.  J.  B. 
Meacham.  He  died  in  1854  or  '55,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Rev.  E.  Cartwright,  who  was  laid 
aside  in  1873.  From  this  church  a  large  num- 
ber went  out  and  formed  the  2nd  or  8th  St. 
Church,  now  the  Central.  Its  first  pastor  was 
Rev.  J.  R.  Anderson  who  was  perhaps  the  lead- 
ing Baptist  minister  of  his  race  at  this  period, 
at  least  in  the  West.  He  was  educated,  and 
learned  his  trade  in  the  Printing  Office  of  Rev. 
E.  P.  Lovejoy,  Alton,  111.  He  was  pastor  till  his 
death  in  1863." 

According  to  information  from  Bishop  R.  H. 
Brown,  the  Central  Church  was  organized  in 
1846,  with  25  members  and  now  (1887)  numbers 
800.  1941  members  had  been  received,  and 
$108,512  expended  for  the  Gospel  at  home  and 


Negro  Baptist  Beginnings  in  America.      251 

abroad;  property  valuation  was  $30,000.  Elder 
S.  P.  Anderson  was  pastor. 

The  Second  Church,  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  was  or- 
ganized by  Bishop  C.  Moore  and  twelve  others  in 
1866.  Several  times  their  house  of  worship  was 
torn  down  to  make  room  for  the  growing  con- 
gregation. Bishop  H.  Roberson  was  pastor. 
Their  membership  in  1887  was  475,  and  property 
valuation  was  $50,000.  The  Pleasant  Green  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Kansas  City  was  formed  in  1881, 
with  8  members.  Their  house  cost  $3,300 ;  their 
membership  was  283,  Bishop  J.  Morgan,  pastor. 

Through  the  efforts  of  Elder  R.  H.  Brown  the 
Berean  Baptist  Church  of  this  same  city  was  or- 
ganized in  1882. 

DENOMINATIONAL  STATISTICS  IN  1887. 

As  early  as  1887,  Bishop  R.  De  Baptist  said 
that  there  were  in  the  United  States  1,071,902 
colored  Baptist  Church  members,  organized  into 
churches  and  associations.  He  said  of  the  311 
associations  organized,  255  reported  9,079  church- 
es; 218  reported  4,590  ordained  ministers;  90  re- 
ported 2,603  Sunday-schools ;  94  reported  143,832 
Sunday-school  nupils;  58  reported  $1,334,092 
valuation  of  church  property;  153  reported  $181, 
063.41  contributions  for  religious  and  educa- 
tional work;  168  reported  39,151  baptisms. 

In  1887,  Dr.  William  J.  Simmons  said:  "I 
claim  that  there  are  in  the  United  States  more 
colored  Baptists  than  white  Baptists,  and  more 
colored  Baptists  than  all  Pedo  Baptists  togeth- 
er." This  is  also  the  claim  of  the  Author  to-day 
(1914). 


Bridgeport  National 
Bindery,  Inc. 

MAY  2001 


